Pokémon DoubleJ Adventures V1: Johto
by sjshark23
Summary: First in a five-part series. James Curtis and Jen Richards set off across the Johto region, aiming for the top. They'll tackle fierce battles, heated rivalries, and their own inexperience, as well as the rising threat of Team Triassic. It sure as heck won't be easy, but they plan to win anyway. Current Chapter: #26-Jen Richards, Junior Ghostbuster
1. The Adventure Begins

** Hey, guys, this is my newest Pokémon fanfic. This one is the first in a five-part series documenting my two OCs' journey across the four regions and the Battle Frontier. Without further ado, let's get rolling!**

** Disclaimer: I don't own Pokémon; Nintendo and Satoshi Tajiri do.**

**POKÉMON DOUBLE-J ADVENTURES  
CHAPTER 1: THE ADVENTURE BEGINS**

The sun rose over the Sprout Tower, casting a pinkish light over Violet City. A flock of Pidgey was flying past the huge pagoda, and the streetlights began to dim as their necessity ended. Few would dream of being awake at such an hour; in one house on the north side of the city, however, someone was.

Ten-year-old James Curtis sat on his bed, fully dressed in a red t-shirt and black shorts, unable to contain his excitement. The day had finally come for him to get his first Pokémon and begin his journey across the Johto region; he had waited impatiently for nearly six years, watching in awe as his two older brothers received their first Pokémon. Now it was his turn, and he couldn't sleep, not while his first Pokémon was waiting for him.

He looked around the room, his hawk-like blue-gray eyes searching through the half-light. A black Pokégear sat on the nightstand, and his gray pack hung by its shoulder strap on the back of his desk chair, already stocked and ready to go. Books and Pokémon manuals were stacked on the desk, looking ready to fall at any moment. The generally disorganized room was mainly due to James' frantic preparations the night before, trying to get everything ready before he went to sleep; if it hadn't been for his mother's scolding, he'd never have even thought of going to bed at all.

Eventually, he decided he'd had enough of sitting around, and put his Pokégear onto his right wrist, checking to make sure it was tightly secured, then crossed the room and started to swing his bag over his shoulder. Upon looking at the clock, though, he stopped himself; the clock read six thirty, and he knew that his mother would be _really_ annoyed if she found him up that early. He may be energetic, she had said, but that was no excuse for being awake at that time in the morning. He put the bag down and sat down on the chair, running a hand through his choppy dark brown hair and willing the time to speed up so he could finally get going.

A soft knock on the door broke him from his thoughts, and he went and opened it as quietly as he could. There stood his older brother Shane, his emerald eyes cutting through the dawn light. Shane didn't look as much like his younger brother, with straight light brown hair and emerald green eyes. Like James, he was fully dressed, wearing white t-shirt under an open, black and white checked flannel shirt and faded jeans. He smiled as he walked in, and sat down on the bed, while James sat back down on the chair.

"Couldn't sleep, huh?" Shane asked, and James nodded. "Don't worry, kid, I was just as excited when I got Chikorita. Remember when Mom was yelling at me to go to sleep the night before, even though she knew I wasn't going to?"

"Vaguely," James replied, a smile crossing his face. "I was only seven, remember?"

"True," Shane said, grinning as well. "So, have you decided which Pokémon you're going to choose? You've been waiting for today since you were four, after all."

"Yeah, I have," James said, "but I'm not telling anyone yet. It's going to be a surprise." He knew it wasn't, though; everyone had pretty much figured out his choice years ago, and he'd simply told everyone exactly what he'd just told Shane. Shane simply nodded and looked at the clock.

"Well, d'you want to get Mom up and grab some breakfast before we go?" the older boy asked. "It's almost seven now, and she wants us to leave by nine, so we're gonna have to move."

"Sounds good to me," James said, and the two brothers left the room, James grabbing his pack as he left. They walked across the hall to their parents' room, and Shane knocked on the door.

"Hey Mom," he said, just above a whisper. "We're up and ready, are you?" The door opened, and Andrea Curtis, a pretty, brown-haired woman, stood in front of them, a half-smile on her face.

"Time to get moving already, boys?" she asked, her smile widening as she saw her two younger sons dressed and ready to go. "Well, I'd better whip something up for you two, then. Considering the amount the pair of you eat, it'll have to be a lot." At the mention of food, the two boys bolted for the stairs, and Andrea sighed and started down herself.

* * *

After a huge breakfast of pancakes, eggs and bacon, James and Shane raced out the door for the journey to New Bark Town. Andrea followed them, watching as James slung his bag over his shoulder and prepared to head out.

"I've contacted Darrell and your father," she said as she kissed her youngest son goodbye. "They've both promised to come back home and see your first Pokémon. They might even see your first Gym battle as well, if they can stay that long."

"That'll be great!" James answered, smiling widely. He couldn't wait to show his father and his oldest brother how good he was, and this would be his first opportunity. "I'll see you all when I get back home."

"Take care of yourself," his mother told him, concern filling her emerald eyes. "Keep with your brother until you get your Pokémon, then you can start training by yourself. Shane," she said, turning to her older son. "Make sure James keeps out of trouble. Try not to get sidetracked by any wild Pokémon while you're walking. And come right home as soon as James is all set to go."

"Got it, Mom," Shane told her, embracing her warmly. "Now we'd better get going, or we'll never reach New Bark by this afternoon."

"Go ahead then," Andrea said, releasing Shane and watching the two boys run towards the road. "And _be careful_!" she called after them, then turned around and headed back inside the house.

* * *

As James and Shane hurried down their street, they stopped in front of the house next door. A black-haired girl was standing next to a fence, a small reddish Pokémon next to her. The girl's name was Jennifer Richards, and she had moved with her parents from Snowpoint City in the Sinnoh region a few months before. The two boys slowed, and she waved and jumped over the fence to talk to them.

"Hi, guys!" she said, pushing her hair out of her eyes. Like Shane, she had green eyes, but hers were jade rather than emerald. Her hair was cut short, and the style combined with her jeans and white t-shirt to create a tough-girl appearance.

"Hey, Jen," James answered, grinning slightly. "How's it going?"

"Not too bad." Jen replied with a smile. "My dad and I are about to head over to Professor Elm's lab. Are you two going to New Bark Town too?" she asked, and James nodded.

"I'm finally going to get my first Pokémon," James said, then looked at Jen oddly. "Wait, why are you going to New Bark Town? Don't you already have two Pokémon? You're not getting a third already, are you?"

"Nope," Jen said, grinning as the aforementioned Pokémon ran up to her, out of breath. One had a dark red body with a cream-colored belly and a collar-like black ring around its neck. Tiny embers dripped from its mouth, and a little wisp of smoke betrayed its fatigue. Following close behind was a tiny Pokémon that looked like it had just hatched from an egg. It squealed as it went, and tripped over its own feet when it stopped short behind the other Pokémon. Jen giggled at the Pokémon's antics. "Magby and Togepi are going to come with me to get my own Pokédex down there. I want to be a breeder, so I'm hoping to learn as much about Pokémon as I can. And raising two baby Pokémon is a great way to start."

"If you say so," James said, raising an eyebrow at the two Pokémon next to Jen's right leg. At that moment, a tall, balding man stepped out of the house and shut the door behind him.

"Jennifer, are you ready to go?" the man called as he locked the door. Jen called an affirmative and John Richards walked towards the car. He spotted the Curtis brothers and smiled. "Ah, James and Shane, it's good to see you! How are you?"

"Fine, thanks," Shane answered, a grin crossing his face. "How're you liking Violet so far?"

"It's been wonderful," Mr. Richards told him, his smile widening. "The city is beautiful, and everything's a convenient distance away from here. You're lucky to live in a town like this, boys."

"We sure are," Shane replied, then looked at his watch. "Jeez, will you look at the time? I'm sorry, Mr. Richards, but we have to start walking now if we're going to reach New Bark Town by dark."

"Oh, you're going to the Professor's lab too?" Mr. Richards asked.

"Yeah, James is getting his first Pokémon today," Jen chimed in. James started to say something, but decided that Jen had made the point for him and kept silent.

"Well, why don't you come with us?" Mr. Richards said, motioning to the car. "Since we're all going to the same place, I'd be happy to drive you over."

"We really couldn't..." Shane started to say, but Mr. Richards wouldn't take no for an answer, and two minutes later they were rolling towards New Bark Town.

* * *

_CHAPTER 2 PREVIEW_

_ James: I'm finally getting my first Pokémon...that's odd, it won't stay in its ball. Ah, who cares? I'm finally gonna get going on my journey, and I'm going to show everyone what I've got! Not only that, but I'm going to try and catch a Pokémon before I finally go home. With Jen by my side, and my starter Pokémon on my shoulder, I can't lose! Next time, in Pokémon Double-J Adventures: James' First Pokémon! Everyone, get Pokémon!

* * *

_

**OK, so I'm experimenting a little bit in this story. The preview was (obviously) inspired by the ones for the anime, and I'm looking to introduce the characters as smoothly as I can...but I digress.**

** That being said, please read, REVIEW (they help keep up my writing morale), and tell me what ya think! Should I expand a bit more? Did I introduce too many characters too quickly? If I did, tell me, and I'll try to fix it next time. SJShark23 going on station.**


	2. James' First Pokémon

**Here's Chapter 2 of Double-J Adventures Volume 1.**

** Disclaimer: I don't own Pok****é****mon; Nintendo and Satoshi Tajiri do.

* * *

**

** POKÉMON DOUBLE-J ADVENTURES**

** CHAPTER 2: JAMES' FIRST POKÉMON

* * *

**

In no time at all, Mr. Richards had reached the small hamlet of New Bark Town, home to Professor Elm's Pokémon laboratory. As the two ten-year-olds prepared to head inside, Mr. Richards asked James if Jen could go home with him, giving her an opportunity to train. James agreed, and the pair went inside with Shane, and Mr. Richards started home.

The laboratory was spacious, with rows of bookshelves and some complicated-looking computer displays. At the back of the main room, though, was what James was most interested in. A large domed machine held three Pokéballs, each containing one of Johto's starter Pokémon. As the kids entered, Professor Elm, a thin, bespectacled man, appeared from behind a computer mainframe.

"Oh, you're here already!" the Professor exclaimed, a smile forming on his face. "I wasn't expecting you until later. How are you, Shane?"

"Pretty good," Shane said, grinning as well. "It's been a while, hasn't it, Professor?"

"It certainly has," Elm answered, nodding. "It seems like it was only the other day that you left with your first Pokémon. How's she doing?"

"Awesome," Shane said. He took out a Pokéball and tossed it lightly into the air, causing it to snap open. A medium-sized yellow Pokémon with a scythe-like leaf on its head emerged, charging down her trainer as soon as she saw him.

"Bay!" the Pokémon cried, tackling Shane to the ground and nuzzling his face.

"Hey, hey, Bayleef!" Shane laughed, trying in vain to get the Grass-type off of him. "It's good to see you too, girl, but do you have to do this every time you see me?"

"Well, it seems that she's still quite affectionate," Professor Elm remarked, watching Shane recall Bayleef. He turned to the younger Curtis brother. "Now, if I remember, you're James, right?"

"That's right," James answered, nodding vigorously.

"I see. I'm assuming you're here to get your first Pokémon, correct?" When James nodded again, the Professor smiled. "Well, your waiting's over, young man. Come with me." James followed Elm to the domed machine at the back of the room. The Professor pressed a button, and the dome retracted, allowing him to reach over and take the balls out and release the creatures inside.

The first Pokéball contained a pale green, quadrupedal Grass-type Pokémon with a green leaf on its head, similar to Shane's Bayleef. James identified it as a Chikorita, Bayleef's pre-evolved form. The next Pokéball released a small blue crocodilian with red spikes down its back and big red eyes: a Totodile. The final Pokémon revealed was a small echidna-like creature with bluish fur and a few red spots on its back, which would later be understood to be fire vents: Cyndaquil. Professor Elm smiled as James examined the three Pokémon.

"These three Pokémon are the starters exclusive to the Johto region. Each has its own strengths and weaknesses, and will be extremely helpful in your quest. Choose whichever you like."

"I'm pretty sure which one I'm going to take, Professor," James said, looking intently at the echidna. "I'll take Cyndaquil, if that's alright."

"Absolutely," Professor Elm said with a smile, taking the other two Pokéballs and recalling Chikorita and Totodile. He picked up Cyndaquil's ball and handed it to James, and the boy recalled the Fire-type with a big grin. Almost as soon as the red light summoning Cyndaquil back had dissipated, the ball opened again, and there sat the echidna with an odd look on his face. "Well, that's interesting." the Professor said, observing the small Pokémon with a raised eyebrow.

"What's interesting, Professor?" James asked, looking worried.

"Oh, it's nothing serious," Elm said, the smile returning to his face. "This particular Cyndaquil seems to dislike being confined to its ball. I think he would rather walk along with you, James."

"Is that true, Cyndaquil?" James asked it, and Cyndaquil nodded vigorously. "Well, alright then, you don't have to stay in your ball if you don't want to." No sooner had he said this than the Fire-type jumped up on the table and onto James' left shoulder. "Uh, if you're gonna ride on my shoulder, Cyndaquil, can you maybe ride on the other one? Since I'm a lefthander, I need that shoulder you're on now." Cyndaquil nodded again and switched sides, jumping onto James' head in the process. "That's better." James said, reaching up to stroke the small Pokémon.

"Cyndaquil likes you already, James," Jen said with a giggle, watching the boy and his Pokémon. Shane nodded in approval and started towards the door.

"Leaving already, Shane?" Professor Elm asked as the older boy released a Fearow from its Pokéball and prepared to take off.

"I'm afraid so," Shane said apologetically. "I've gotta get home and let Mom know that everything went alright, and I think these two can handle themselves."

"Very well," the Professor replied, nodding in agreement. "Give Andrea my regards."

"I will," Shane said, and he jumped on Fearow's back, taking off back to Violet. Elm watched him leave, and then turned back to the two ten-year-olds.

"Now, we've got the matter of your starter Pokémon out of the way," he said, "we can move on to other matters. Jennifer, I received a call from your father a few days ago, requesting that I have a Pokédex unit sent over for you to pick up. Since I knew James was coming too, I ordered two units, one for each of you, so you'll be able to identify any Pokémon easily." He walked over to a desk and removed two handheld computer devices from a drawer. One was dark teal and the other powder blue.

"I'll take the lighter one," Jen said without hesitation. Elm nodded and handed the powder blue unit to her, and gave the other one to James, who immediately set Cyndaquil down on the ground so he could scan him. Cyndaquil squeaked in indignation, but James its protests and trained the Pokédex on him.

_"Cyndaquil, the Fire Mouse Pok__é__mon."_ a computerized voice announced. _"Cyndaquil is usually timid, but will ignite the flame on its back if it feels angry or threatened."_

"Let me try this out," Jen said, releasing her Magby and aiming the scanner at it. The computerized voice began to recite Magby's data.

_"Magby, the Live Coal Pok__é__mon. Its vitality is measured by the quality of the flames it spits, and it usually lives in volcanic craters."_

"When did you get yourself a Magby, Jennifer?" Elm asked, as Jen recalled the baby Pokémon.

"My parents gave her to me for my tenth birthday," Jen replied, stowing her new Pokédex in her pocket. "They thought that she would keep me company when we moved away. She's done that so far, and now we're gonna take aim at the Johto League!"

"Well, I wish you both luck in that endeavor," Elm told her, grinning. He motioned Jen and James to a table near the door, and handed each of them five Pokéballs. "Use these Pokéballs to catch different Pokémon on your journey."

"We certainly will," James said, accepting the balls. The two ten-year-olds walked out the door and turned to say goodbye to the Professor.

"Remember, you'll need your Pokédex to get your trainer card and register for the Johto League!" Elm called before the pair bolted.

"We will. Thanks a lot, Professor!" James shouted as he and Jen ran towards Route 29 and the start of their journey.

* * *

"So what d'you think, Jen?" James asked, as Cyndaquil looked around at his new surroundings with interest. "Should we book it to Cherrygrove City, or take it slow and maybe see a few Pokémon on the way?"

"Can we take it slow? I kinda want to check out the Pokémon that live here."

"Alright then," James said, and they started at a moderate pace towards the next city. As they reached a patch of tall grass, they noticed something that piqued both their interests.

A small bird-like Pokémon with brown feathers popped out of the grass, and turned its head to survey the newcomers. James felt a rush of excitement as he saw it; this could be his first capture! He whipped out his Pokédex and aimed it at the small bird.

_"Pidgey, the Tiny Bird Pok__é__mon."_ the Pokédex's recorded voice stated. _"This Flying-type is considered a good fit for beginners. It usually avoids fighting by kicking up a cloud of sand to blind its enemies."_

"Well, Pidgey, you're gonna be mine in a few seconds!" James shouted as he took out a Pokéball. He cocked his left arm and was about to throw the ball, but Jen caught him before he hurled it at the bird. "What?" he asked Jen, a confused look making its way onto his face.

"James, didn't your brothers tell you anything about catching Pokémon?" Jen asked him. "You can't just throw the ball at it; you've got to battle it first and weaken it."

"Oh, right," James said, embarrassed at his reckless behavior. "Yeah, I knew that." He turned to Cyndaquil, who was tensed up on his shoulder. "You ready to catch us a Pidgey, Cyndaquil?" The Fire Mouse Pokémon jumped onto the ground in response, and flames exploded from its back. "I'll take that as a yes. Now, let's see what moves you've got..." He consulted the Pokédex and read Cyndaquil's moveset, then stowed it in his bag and looked at Cyndaquil. "Let's move, buddy! Tackle that Pidgey!" Cyndaquil leaped at the bird, slamming its body into its opponent. Pidgey was knocked back, but recovered and began to flap its wings at the ground, creating a cloud of sand. "Don't let the sand blind you, Cyndaquil! Ember!" Cyndaquil reared back and launched a flurry of small fireballs that hit Pidgey and dropped it to the ground, small scorch marks scoring its wings.

"I think it's tired out! Throw the ball quick!" Jen shouted.

"Right!" James shouted, and he reared back and threw a strike that hit the bird right on the head. The Pokéball opened, and Pidgey was sucked inside in a flash of red light. The ball closed, and a red light appeared on the button in the middle as it began to shake. James clenched his fists in anticipation as the ball shook once, then twice. Cyndaquil's back was still ablaze, ready to attack if the target escaped. After a third and fourth shake, the red light on the button disappeared, and a tone sounded: Pidgey had been caught. "YES!" James shouted, leaping in the air with his fist raised. "We did it, Cyndaquil! We got Pidgey!" Cyndaquil still looked unconvinced, walking over and poking the ball with his snout, trying to make sure that it wouldn't open as soon as James went for it.

"Relax, Cyndaquil," Jen said soothingly, trying to calm it down. "Pidgey won't leave that ball unless James lets it out." Relieved, Cyndaquil ran back to his trainer and leaped on his shoulder, watching from his perch as James picked up the ball and slipped it into his bag.

"So, now that that's over with...you want to get moving again?" James asked, mentally figuring the distance from there to Cherrygrove.

"Let's go," Jen answered, and they started to run towards the small town.

* * *

_CHAPTER 3 PREVIEW_

_ James: Well, now that we've reached Cherrygrove, we're halfway home. But who's this guy with the Bulbasaur? He can't possibly think he can beat me, can he? No way! Cyndaquil will beat that Bulbasaur and show him that offense always smashes defense! Next time, in Pok__é__mon Double-J Adventures!: A Rivalry Begins! Everyone, get Pok__é__mon!

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_

** And thus ends Chapter 2. Please, do read and REVIEW and let me know what you think! SJShark23 going on station.**


	3. A Rivalry Begins

**Presenting Chapter 3 of **_**The Double-J Adventures!**_** Many thanks to those who reviewed (all one of you...).**

** Disclaimer: I don't own Pok****é****mon: Nintendo and Satoshi Tajiri do.

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**

** POK****É****MON DOUBLE-J ADVENTURES**

** CHAPTER 3: A RIVALRY BEGINS

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**

After a few hours of walking, James, Jen and Cyndaquil reached Cherrygrove City. The small town was quiet, and the wind rustled the trees, giving Cherrygrove a peaceful air. James turned to Jen, being careful not to wake Cyndaquil, who had fallen asleep on his shoulder.

"Where should we head first?" he asked her, adjusting the strap on his pack.

"Well, let's see? Where would someone go to register for the Johto League?" Jen asked, looking around. She spotted a large building with a huge red "P" on its domed roof and pointed. "There, the Pokémon Centre! We can rest our Pokémon there, and then register for the League."

"Sounds good to me," James said, and they hurried through the sliding doors into the lobby. Nurse Joy, one of the countless identical nurses that ran Pokémon Centres around the world, greeted them warmly.

"Welcome to the Pokémon Centre!" she said cheerfully, bowing to them. "How may I help you today?"

"We're here to rest our Pokémon and register for the Johto League." Jen told her, as James looked distractedly at a poster advertising the competition. Each of them put their Pokéballs on a tray, and a recently-awoken Cyndaquil hopped onto James' and sat next to Pidgey's ball, refusing to go back into his own. Joy gave the trays to a Chansey standing nearby, and the Happiness Pokémon carried them away.

"Now, you said you were registering for the Johto League?" Joy asked them, and when they nodded she punched a few buttons on her computer and called up the registration program. Two slots opened on the reception desk. "All you need to do is insert your Pokédex into the slot, and it will automatically scan your information and enter you into the League's database. You will also receive your trainer card, which is one of your forms of ID, the other being your Pokédex." James and Jen placed their Pokédex units in the slots, and after a few seconds a chime sounded, followed by a pair of cards appearing in a small receptacle below the slots. "There we go, you're all set!" Joy said. The two youngsters thanked her and headed for the waiting area.

* * *

"So, are you excited for everyone else to see your first Pokémon, James?" Jen asked as they collected their Pokémon five minutes later and headed for the battlefield, where they would do some training before heading out. James nodded emphatically.

"Absolutely. My main goal is to show my dad and my brothers that I'm just as good as they are," he said, grinning at Cyndaquil, who was poking around the trees and jumping back every time anything moved. "Hey, Cyndaquil, what do you say we get some training in before we start back home?" Cyndaquil turned away from the bush he was examining and nodded vigorously, rushing towards the field. James let Pidgey out of its ball and it looked at him with narrowed eyes.

"Well, Pidgey, it's time to start training for the Violet Gym," James told it, and it nodded slowly before rocketing after Cyndaquil. "Hey, what're you doing? I didn't tell you to do anything yet!" Pidgey ignored him, slamming into Cyndaquil before the Fire-type could react. Cyndaquil squeaked in annoyance and surprise before loosing a flurry of fire bolts at Pidgey, who dodged all of them. James looked at Jen, wide-eyed, and Jen shrugged.

"It's fast," she said simply, taking out her own Pokéballs. "That's all I've got." Jen released Magby and Togepi, while James shook his head and ran towards Pidgey and Cyndaquil.

"Hey, you two, cut it out! I haven't told either of you to do anything yet, so knock it off right now!"

"Looks like someone needs to get control of his Pokémon," said another voice. A boy about James' age stepped out onto the field, looking amusedly at the bird and echidna. He had short, rust-brown hair and coal-black eyes, which bore into James' icy blue ones. He wore a dark grey t-shirt and dark jeans, and carried a cobalt blue backpack.

"What's that supposed to mean?" James shouted back, trying in vain to wrestle Cyndaquil away from Pidgey.

"Exactly what I said. You've got no control of your Pokémon," the other boy said, taking out a Pokéball. "Wheras I have a very well-behaved Pokémon. Let's move!" He threw the ball, and upon snapping open it revealed a bluish quadripedal creature with a large green bulb on its back. James' eyes widened again, and he took out his Pokédex to scan it.

_"Bulbasaur, the Seed Pokemon. Bulbasaur is a Grass-type Pok__é__mon native to the Kanto region. The bulb on its back grows constantly from birth, and begins to flower upon evolution."_

"Wait, if you've got a Kanto Pokémon..." Jen said, walking over to see what was happening, "then you're not from Johto, are you?"

"You've got a mind like a steel trap, sister," the boy said with a smirk. "The name's Hunter Scott, and I'm from Fuchsia City in Kanto. My goal is to become a defensive specialist and win the Pokémon League."

"I'm Jen Richards," Jen said, smiling in a friendly manner. "And this is my friend James Curtis."

"Hi," James said shortly, still trying to contain his annoyance at Hunter's comments. "You want to be a _defensive specialist_?" he asked incredulously. "Everyone knows that defense is a simple way of saying 'sit back and watch your Pokémon get pummelled!'"

"That's not true!" Hunter shot back, his black eyes narrowed. "Defense is what you build a battle strategy on. If you can't take any punishment, what good is a smashing offense?"

"It's better than letting your Pokémon get hurt!" James answered, his own eyes becoming stormy. "And I'll prove it to you right now! Let's have a battle! Your Bulbasaur against my Cyndaquil!"

"Fine," Hunter said, relaxing a little. "But don't think you'll win just because you have an advantage. A good defense always makes type matchups irrelevant."

"Says you!" James shouted, and they headed for the battlefield.

* * *

Jen offered to call the match, and both James and Hunter agreed to the arrangement. Hunter had recalled Bulbasaur for the time being, and Cyndaquil sat on James' shoulder, ready to fight. Jen called out the rules for the match: one Pokémon each, no substitutes, and the first Pokémon to knock out the other would be declared the winner.

"That's fine with me! Cyndaquil, let's get going!" James shouted, and Cyndaquil hopped off his shoulder onto the field, his back ablaze. Hunter tossed out his own ball, and out came Bulbasaur, roaring an obvious challenge to the Fire-type.

"Begin!" Jen called, and both trainers jumped into action.

"Cyndaquil, Tackle attack!" Cyndaquil raced at Bulbasaur, but as he rushed onwards, he picked up speed, and a white trail followed him as he charged the Grass-type. "Whoa! What's going on?" James asked, not knowing what was happening.

"Your Cyndaquil appears to have learned a new move," Hunter said offhandedly from across the field. "That move happens to be Quick Attack. Not that it matters. Bulbasaur, stand firm and use Vine Whip!" Two vines sprang from underneath the bulb on the Seed Pokémon's back, and shot at Cyndaquil with tremendous force. The vines caught Cyndaquil before he could make contact, and Bulbasaur lifted the Fire Mouse off the ground.

"Get out of there, Cyndaquil! Ember!" Cyndaquil launched another flurry of fire bolts at the Seed Pokémon, whose grip loosened as the super-effective attack hit its mark. Cyndaquil leaped away as soon as the vines slackened, and dashed away to a safe distance.

"Not bad, James," Hunter said quietly, watching the Fire-type escape. "But that won't help you! Bulbasaur, hold your ground! Use Vine Whip if it gets close!"

"If he's just gonna sit there, then we'll take him down from long range!" James called to Cyndaquil. "Use Ember!" Bulbasaur shrank back a little from the Fire-type move, but stood firm. "Now, Quick Attack!" Cyndaquil dashed at Bulbasaur, trying to take advantage of its opponent's distraction.

"Bulbasaur, Tackle! Take it out!" Hunter called. Bulbasaur and Cyndaquil slammed into one another, and each flew backward. The adversaries struggled to their feet, neither wanting to fall first. James and Hunter glared at each other, the tension building. Eventually, Bulbasaur's legs shook, and it fell forward, its eyes glazed over. Jen looked over and nodded before confirming the Grass-type's defeat.

"Bulbasaur is unable to continue! The winners are James and Cyndaquil!"

"We did it, Cyndaquil!" James shouted, running to his Pokémon. Cyndaquil leaped into James' arms and James hugged him tightly, overjoyed at his victory. He looked over to where Hunter was kneeling next to Bulbasaur, and his smile faded a little.

"Bulbasaur, are you alright?" Hunter asked, concern on his face. Bulbasaur nodded weakly, disappointed at its loss. "No worries, we'll get them next time. Return and take a rest." Hunter recalled Bulbasaur and turned to James. "Looks like you won this one, James."

"Looks like," James said, nodding. His grin returned to his face. "I'll tell ya, the way Bulbasaur was able to handle all those hits was awesome. I was wrong to say all that stuff earlier."

"So was I," Hunter replied, a sheepish look crossing his face. "You know what you're doing, at least. Bygones?"

"Bygones," James said, and the two shook hands. Jen smiled at the pair, and stood next to James as Hunter bid them farewell.

"Looks like you've got yourself a rival, James." Jen said, grinning at him.

"I know we'll meet again," James answered, watching his new rival disappear. "And I know he's never gonna make it easy on me. Just more incentive to improve, huh?"

"Yeah," Jen said, and they headed back into the Pokémon Centre to heal their Pokémon and prepare for the second leg of their journey.

* * *

_CHAPTER 4 PREVIEW_

_ Jen: Almost home! I've got an idea: let's check out the Dark Cave before we get back to Violet! I'll bet we can find some great Pok__é__mon in there, and it'll be a good chance to train before we challenge the Gym! Next time, in Pok__é__mon Double-J Adventures: The Darkness of the Cave! Everyone, get Pok__é__mon!

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_

** And so ends Chapter 3. James now has a rival, and his and Jen's return to Violet is imminent. What'll happen between then and now? Only I know. In the meantime, please do read and REVIEW and tell me what you think! SJShark23 going on station.**


	4. The Darkness of the Cave

** Hey there folks! Here's Chapter 4 of _Double-J Adventures_.**

** Disclaimer: I don't own Pokémon; Nintendo and Satoshi Tajiri do.

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**

** POKÉMON DOUBLE-J ADVENTURES**

** CHAPTER 4: THE DARKNESS OF THE CAVE

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**

The distance between Cherrygrove and Violet was too great to be covered in the remaining daylight that they had, so James and Jen stayed at the Pokémon Centre that night. The next morning, they were right back on the road, James' Pidgey acting as a scout in case any wild Pokémon decided to accost them. The northward route between the cities was fairly easy to traverse, and as they noted the eccentric Mr. Pokémon's house to the east, they reached the end of Route 30 and stepped onto Route 31, which continued west toward Violet City and home. Jen, however, didn't want to go home just yet.

"Hey, James, why don't we check out that cave over there?" she asked, letting Magby out of her Pokéball. "I'll bet there are some really awesome Pokémon living in there!"

"Uh, Jen?" James said, looking at her as if she were crazy. "That's the Dark Cave. And its name fits. Once you go inside there, you can't see a thing."

"Don't worry, Cyndaquil and Magby can light it up for us, right?" Magby nodded, though she looked wary. Cyndaquil, however, seemed thrilled at the prospect of strong opponents to battle, and in his excitement he almost burned an unexpectant James' shoulder.

"Jeesh!" James yelled as Cyndaquil's back burst into flame. "Don't scare me like that, Cyndaquil!" Cyndaquil quickly put out the flames and nuzzled his master's cheek apologetically. "It's alright, buddy. But wait until you're on the ground to do that." Cyndaquil nodded again and jumped to the ground, running toward the cave.

"Wait for us, Cyndaquil!" Jen shouted, and with Magby and a protesting James in tow, she followed the echidna into the cave.

* * *

"It's so much cooler in here than outside," Jen remarked five minutes later, as the two youngsters followed the light cast by Cyndaquil and Magby. James, for his part, was nervously looking around, checking the walls and ceiling for any sign of movement. He knew that all manner of nocturnal Pokémon lived in the caverns, and although he wasn't against catching anything in here, he didn't want to be swamped by a stampede of grouchy Geodude or Zubat.

"Wow," James said, his voice higher than normal, "it was really awesome in here, but I think we should GO now."

"Don't be such a scaredy-Meowth, James," Jen said, a grin barely perceptible on her face. "There's definitely something worth catching in here. How about over there?" Before James could stop her, she had bolted towards a darkened corner of the cave, and as her footsteps echoed through the near-silent caverns, a rustling sound emerged, and a flock of Zubat flew out of an alcove near her. She shrieked in surprise, and James and the two Fire-types raced towards her.

"Jen, are you okay?" James asked with concern as Jen watched the Zubat disappear with wide eyes. Jen nodded, already starting to calm down. "You see what I mean? You can't just sprint through this place, there's too many Pokémon that could jump out of nowhere."

"Are you kidding?" Jen said, a little more quietly than before; despite the shock from the Zubat, she didn't seem to have lost any of her enthusiasm. "I'm going after those Zubat! Do you know how strong they can get if you train one right? I could definitely raise it into a Golbat, and even a Crobat! I've just gotta have one!" With that, she dashed off, with a visibly-exhausted Magby following reluctantly to light her trainer's way. James shook his head, and then followed with Cyndaquil. He hadn't gone more than three steps before he tripped over what seemed to be a small rock. To his shock, two arms appeared at the rock's sides and pushed it out of the ground. It glared at James, who had evidently disturbed its nap, and pointed to Cyndaquil in an obvious challenge. Cyndaquil's already-blazing flames intensified, and he squeaked at the other Pokémon in response. James took out his Pokédex and aimed it at the Rock-type.

_"Geodude, the Rock Pokémon."_ the Pokédex announced. _"Geodude usually do not interact with humans, but become disgruntled if travelers trip over or step on them."_

"James? What're you...oh, wow, a Geodude!" Jen said as she returned to see where her friend had gone. "If you train one enough, it'll evolve into..."

"I get it, Jen," James said, and Jen let out a 'hmph' and stepped back, giving James space to maneuver. "Cyndaquil, let's catch that rock! Quick Attack!" Cyndaquil dashed at the rock and bounced off, letting out a squeak of pain. "Jeesh, what's wrong now?" James asked as Cyndaquil regrouped,

"James, Cyndaquil's moves aren't very effective against Rock-types!" Jen called from behind him. "If you keep this up, you'll get into a drawn-out fight and might lose!"

"Well, Pidgey won't be much more help..." James said, trying to figure his odds of catching the Rock Pokémon. "Cyndaquil, use your Ember and wear it out! It has to get tired eventually!" Cyndaquil nodded and loosed a cloud of fire bolts that hit Geodude, causing it to shy away in pain and surprise. "Alright, don't let up. Keep up that Ember!" When Cyndaquil launched the attack, the Geodude glared, and as Cyndaquil paused for breath, the Rock-type erupted in flames.

"James, it's been burned! If you're going to catch it, do it now while it's recovering!" Jen shouted Before James could even think about throwing a ball at it, though, Geodude curled up and launched itself at Cyndaquil, sending the Fire-type flying. "Oh no, that's Rollout! If you don't hurry, it'll get more powerful and knock Cyndaquil out!"

"Right!" James shouted, and took out a Pokéball. "Okay, here goes nothing..." he muttered as he aimed as best he could in the near-darkness. He let out a yell as he threw the ball, and was almost surprised to see it make contact and open up. The Geodude turned to red energy and was sucked inside, and the ball started shaking as it landed. James watched in anxious anticipation, and Cyndaquil tensed up, still not trusting that the ball would do its job. After three, then four shakes, the light on the ball went out, and the tone signaling a successful catch sounded. James walked up to the ball, illuminated by Cyndaquil's flame, and picked it up, a grin slowly making its way onto his face.

"Alright! I caught a Geodude!" Cyndaquil nervously hopped onto James' shoulder and looked at the ball apprehensively, expecting the ball to open again and release its occupant. "Cyndaquil, do you have to do this every time I catch a Pokémon? The ball's not going to open unless I want it to, and right now I don't. So relax, buddy. We've got a new friend to travel with us now."

"You certainly sound confident." Jen remarked, smiling at her friend. "Now, let's go find those Zubat. I'm going to catch one if it takes all day!" As Jen ran off, Magby squeaked in protest and followed, and James shook his head as he and Cyndaquil did the same.

* * *

"We're lost. In the Dark Cave. With only five Pokémon, two of whom are weakened and none of whom are powerful against Rock-types, to protect us if anything dangerous appears." James said half an hour later, watching Jen and Magby search for the colony of Zubat they'd disturbed earlier. "Jen, I know you want to catch one of those Zubat, but can you maybe wait until we find a brighter cave? Maybe AFTER we get home?"

"Don't worry so much, James!" Jen responded, straining to try and find some sign of the bat Pokémon. "Being in a cave like this is awesome! It's so mysterious and exciting!" James shook his head in resigned exasperation. To him, the cave was a disaster waiting to happen. He couldn't wait to get out, and neither could Cyndaquil, who was poking Magby with his snout to try and get the Live Coal Pokémon's attention. Magby eventually lost patience with him and swung her fist at the echidna; in mid-swing, her fist caught fire, and sent Cyndaquil careening into a wall, letting out an indignant squeak as he bounced off.

"Was that what I think it was?" James asked, looking at Magby with wide eyes. Magby had already hurried over to Cyndaquil and was squeaking an apology, and Cyndaquil slowly nodded before bolting for the safety of James' shoulder.

"That was a Fire Punch," Jen confirmed, and Magby's shoulders slumped, embarrassed at her mistake. "Don't be so sad, Magby! You learned a new move, and it's really going to help us out!" After her trainer had reassured her, Magby responded by using her newly-learned move on the wall...prompting the Zubat colony they had disturbed earlier to fly right back out!

"Not again!" James shouted, throwing himself on the ground as the bats shot out of their alcove, flying out towards the inner cave.

"Oh, no, you don't! Magby, Ember!" Magby sent fire bolts at the racing Zubat, knocking one down as it tried to fly away. The bat Pokémon flew back up and opened its mouth, unleashing an unearthly shriek that shook the cavern and made James' hair stand on end.

"Jen, that's Supersonic! If Magby gets hit, she'll get confused!"

"Well, we won't let that happen, will we? Fire Punch!" Magby leaped at her adversary, swinging its burning fist at the Zubat. As the punch hit, Zubat sank its fangs into Magby's fist, causing her to squeak in pain. "Oh, no! Magby, use Ember to get away!" As the fire sparks hit Zubat, it fell to the ground, visibly weakened. "Alright, James, you've been having all the fun when it comes to catching Pokémon! Now it's my turn!" Jen took out a Pokéball and threw it at the fallen bat, sucking it inside. The ball shook once...twice...three times...and then lay still. "Yeah, alright! We got Zubat!" Jen shouted, giving Magby a hug. She picked up the ball and tossed it lightly, letting the newly-caught Pokémon out. "Zubat, we need your help. Can you lead us out of here?" Zubat chittered in response before flying slowly towards the exit.

"Finally!" James shouted as they started out of the cave. Jen responded with a friendly punch on the shoulder and a muttered "scaredy-Meowth" as they left the Dark Cave and returned to Route 31.

* * *

Outside the cave, Jen recalled Zubat and looked west towards the towering pagoda that dominated the Violet skyline.

"We're almost home, James. You ready to show everyone how far we've come?"

"Absolutely," said James, and they rushed towards the gatehouse, Violet City, and home.

* * *

_CHAPTER 5 PREVIEW:_

_ James: Home at last! Dad and Darrell are home, and I'm ready to challenge Falkner. His Flying-types won't be easy to beat, but who said Pok__é__mon training was supposed to be easy? I live for this kind of challenge! Next time, in Pok__é__mon Double-J Adventures: Return to Violet! Everyone, get Pok__é__mon!

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_

**So there you have it, readers! Next chapter will be James' first gym battle, and hopefully his first badge. Will he win? Only I know for now.**

** Anyway, please read and REVIEW, and tell me how I'm doing. Reviews are fuel to my fiction-writing fire, so don't hesitate to press that button!**


	5. Return to Violet

**Here's Chapter 5 of ****_Double-J Adventures._**

** Disclaimer: I don't own Pokémon; Nintendo and Satoshi Tajiri do.

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**

** POKÉMON DOUBLE-J ADVENTURES**

** CHAPTER 5: RETURN TO VIOLET

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**

_"Violet City: The City of Nostalgic Scents"_, read a sign at the gatehouse between Route 31 and the city. James read the sign and grinned to himself; he was back home again, and he hoped that his brother and father had come back by now. As he and Jen walked towards their street, they noticed a different car in the Richards' driveway. A blue Camry sat next to the Richards' old Corolla, and that meant one thing: Matt Curtis had returned home. James and Jen ran over to the window, and noticed that James' parents were talking with Jen's, and they decided not to interrupt them.

"So...you want to come over to my place for a bit?" James asked after about two minutes of standing in the driveway with nothing to do. "I'm sure Cyndaquil wants to see where I live, too, and Darrell's probably home by now."

"Alright," Jen said with a smile, and they dashed towards the empty Curtis driveway. The evening twilight cast an ethereal glow over the backyard, and flocks of Pidgey started flying back to their nests. As they hurried into the yard, a gush of cold water sprayed the kids and sent Cyndaquil into a squeaking fury.

"Who did that?" James asked, a little louder than necessary. Out from behind a tree stepped a gigantic blue crocodile with a big grin on its face. It towered over them, red spikes jutting from its back and tail, and its heavy jaws looked like they could cut anything in two. A telltale drop of water fell from its lower jaw, and James' question was immediately answered. Jen took out her Pokédex and trained it on the croc.

_"Feraligatr, the Big Jaw Pok__é__mon,"_ the machine announced. _"Feraligatr is the final evolved form of Totodile. Its jaws are capable of biting through reinforced steel, and it uses them to deal severe damage during battle."_

"Hey, what's going on out here?" came another voice, one that James recognized instantly. A tall, dark-haired teenage boy walked around the corner, a questioning look on his face. His eyes were almost exactly the same as James', and his hair was cut shorter than his brothers'. He looked at the seven-foot crocodile, who was trying his best to look innocent. "Feraligatr, what're you...?" The older boy broke off as he noticed James, and grinned broadly. "James, you're back!"

"Hey, Darrell," James said as he grinned back, his own blue-gray eyes hidden by his sopping wet hair. "Feraligatr just used Water Gun on us to say 'welcome back'."

"Did you, now?" Darrell sternly asked the Big Jaw Pokémon, who looked back at his master sheepishly. "Well, I'm glad James is home too, but even so, there's no reason for you to turn into a living fire hose every time you see him. I think you owe James and his friend an apology, and you might consider apologizing to his Pokémon, too." Feraligatr growled apologetically at James, who smiled.

"It's alright, Feraligatr," he said, patting the crocodile's snout. "Now, where'd Cyndaquil go to? I wanted to introduce him to everybody..." The Fire Mouse Pokémon had dashed up a tree when Feraligatr had sprayed them with Water Gun, getting as far away from the Water-type move as possible. "Cyndaquil, get down from there! Feraligatr isn't going to soak you again." Cyndaquil leaped from the tree and landed perfectly on James' right shoulder, squeaking rapidly and indignantly at Feraligatr. "Alright, buddy, that's enough."

"I'm not surprised you took Cyndaquil, James," Darrell said, examining the Fire-type. "You always said you wanted us to have a complete set of starter Pokémon, so after I chose Totodile and Shane picked Chikorita it was inevitable that you would take Cyndaquil..." He became lost in his thoughts for a moment, then returned to reality when he noticed Jen. "Wow, Jennifer, I forgot you were standing right there. How've you been?"

"I'm alright," Jen smiled, as she took out her three Pokéballs. "I was just going to let my Pokémon run around for a little bit, so they can get used to the place and their fellow Pokémon.." She released Magby, Togepi and Zubat, who ran towards Cyndaquil and Feraligatr in an attempt to initiate some friendly conversation.

"Ya know what, that's a good idea," James said, releasing Pidgey and Geodude. Pidgey flew into a tree and looked haughtily at the others, while Geodude found a shady spot and folded its arms in meditation.

"Looks like your Geodude likes its quiet time, James," Jen remarked as she watched the Rock Pokémon roll away from its compatriots. "And it looks like Cyndaquil and the others are hitting it off fine as well." she added as she noted Magby and Cyndaquil deep in incomprehensible conversation, while Zubat flew around them and Togepi skipped around, tripping over her own feet every so often.

"Good thing," Darrell said, grinning at his brother. "They better hit it off alright, or else..."

"Or else what, Darrell?" James asked, his eyes widening in surprise and fear.

"Don't worry about it, kid." the eldest Curtis brother said, ruffling James' hair. "I wouldn't want to spoil the surprise."

"What surprise?" James and Jen asked together, both in the same panicked tone.

"You'll see," Darrell told them, turning to re-enter the house. "Oh, Mom and Dad are gonna be home around eight, so why not hang around for a while? I'm sure the Pokémon will enjoy that."

"I'm sure..." James said as his brother swung the door open and headed inside, the door slamming behind him. "_What was that about?"_ he hissed to Jen, who was checking on Togepi.

"I don't know," Jen said, shrugging as the Spike Ball Pokémon skipped away. She had quickly passed Darrell's comment off as nothing to be concerned over. "He might've just been trying to scare us, ya know? Our Pokémon would be a lot better off if they got along."

"No, not that!" James nearly shouted. "I mean when he said that there's some kind of _surprise_! I know that can mean nothing good!"

"Will you relax?" Jen said, cool-headed as always. "That isn't something you should be worrying about right now! What you _should_ be worried about is how you're going to beat Falkner, the Gym Leader! I've heard his Flying-types are pretty tough!"

"Oh, I'm not too worried about Falkner." James said, calming down at the mention of a battle. "I've watched him battle my brothers, so I know all his moves. He'll be an easy win."

"Don't be so sure," Jen said, looking seriously at him. "Overconfidence has been the downfall of many a challenger. If you're going to beat him, you're going to need a strategy."

"I've already got a..." James broke off as he considered this statement. Up to now, he hadn't had to develop any kind of strategy to defeat an opponent. The only official battle he'd fought had been against Hunter, and even then he'd simply stormed straight ahead and attacked. A Gym Leader like Falkner would know that James had observed him for years, and was almost certainly developing new tricks to unsettle his opponents. To assume anything would be fatal. "You know what, you're right, Jen. I know Falkner's gonna pull something unexpected on me, and I'm gonna have to keep my wits about me. But don't worry," he added, his optimism taking over. "I can't lose! My Pokémon will take whatever Falkner throws at us, and dish it out twice as hard!"

"You certainly sound confident, son," a deep voice said, and both kids jumped. Standing right behind them was a tall, mustachioed man with unruly dark hair and the same blue-gray eyes as James and Darrell. His bomber jacket had a tear in the right sleeve, and his khaki pants were worn and wrinkled; in short, he looked like a seasoned traveler.

"Dad!" James shouted as he turned to face him. "You're finally home!"

"That's right," Matt Curtis said, a smile crossing his face. "I saw you through the window as you passed by John and Emma's house. I noticed you had a Cyndaquil on your shoulder as well."

"Oh, yeah, I picked him as my first Pokémon. You want to meet him?"

"Of course. I'm sure we'd all like to meet him. Here, he can say hello to my own first Pokémon." As he said this, Matt released a gigantic dinosaur-like Pokémon with greenish armor plating. Across its body, triangular gaps in the armor were visible, and its bluish underbelly was exposed in a rhombus-like gap.

"Wow, it's been a long time since I saw Tyranitar in person," James said, instinctively backing away from the combination Rock- and Dark-type. "Now, where's...ah, there he is. Hey, Cyndaquil!" he called, and the echidna perked up at his trainer's voice. "Come over here and meet everybody! You too, Pidgey and Geodude!" Cyndaquil hurried over and leaped onto James' right shoulder, Pidgey flew from her perch and flapped above them, and Geodude woke up and rolled towards the group.

"So, you've caught some of the Pokémon easily found around here, eh?" Matt said, nodding as he inspected the group. "Well, I don't blame you, son. They can be very strong if raised correctly."

"That's what I told him earlier, but he wouldn't listen!" Jen chimed in, adding her two cents.

"Oh, Jennifer, I didn't realize you were here too! You kept James out of trouble, didn't you?"

"Well, not exactly...but yeah, I guess you could say that." Jen smiled, then looked at the sky. "Oh, dear! I'd love to stay and talk, but it's getting dark, and I expect my parents'll want me home soon. Are you definitely challenging the gym tomorrow, James?" she asked. James nodded. "Well, I'll be there too to cheer you on. Magby, Togepi and Zubat, it's time to leave!" The three Pokémon hurried over to their trainer, and Jen recalled all three for the short walk home. "Well, goodnight, everybody! Thanks for walking home with me, James!" she called as she ran into the darkness, and James flushed slightly as he waved in response.

* * *

"So, a gym challenge tomorrow, huh?" Darrell said as he took a break in gulping down his soda at dinner that night. "Well, I've been buddies with Falkner for a long time, and I know he's not going to be easy for you to beat. Got a strategy?"

"Nope," James said, finishing his fifth slice of pizza. "I'm going to play it by ear until I get a grasp on what Falkner's up to, then build a strategy on the fly."

"Be careful with that mindset," Andrea Curtis said from the other room, stroking Cyndaquil's fur; the Fire-type had quickly taken a liking to her. "You need to make sure you're prepared. I tried it in my early coordinating days, but I quickly learned that winning consistently takes a well thought-out strategy."

"I guess you're right," James said with a sigh. "But I still won't lose! I didn't come all round and back again just to fall flat in my first gym battle!"

"That's the spirit," Matt Curtis said, coming in from the yard. "You go in with that attitude, you'll have to try real hard to lose."

"And there's something else an aspiring trainer needs," his mother remarked, letting Cyndaquil bolt up the stairs. "_Sleep_. If you don't get any, you won't have the energy to battle."

"Right, Mom," James said, and hurried after Cyndaquil to rest before the match the next day.

_

* * *

CHAPTER 6 PREVIEW:_

_ James: Here we go! Gym Battle #1 is here, and I'm facing off against Falkner! He may have powerful Pok__é__mon, but that's not going to stop me! Let's roll, Cyndaquil, Pidgey and Geodude! We're going to show him just how strong we are! Next time, in Pok__é__mon Double-J Adventures: Sky High Gym Battle! Everyone, get Pok__é__mon!

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_

**Alright, I'll admit it; I meant to make James VS Falkner in this chapter, but I wanted to introduce Matt and Darrell first. Next chapter, I will include James' gym battle and the run-up to Jen's, so I'll get right on that. Please do read, and maybe leave me a review on your way out. I'm almost done with finals here at college, so a good showing here will give me the momentum to keep writing.**


	6. Sky High Gym Battle

** Hi and hello, everybody! Here's Chapter 6 of Double-J Adventures Volume 1. Finally, we'll witness James' first Gym battle, and possibly his first badge. Can he do it? Read on to find out!**

** Disclaimer: I don't own Pokémon; Nintendo and Satoshi Tajiri do.**

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** POKÉMON DOUBLE-J ADVENTURES**

** CHAPTER 6: SKY HIGH GYM BATTLE**

* * *

Just like two days before, James couldn't sleep. Cyndaquil could, though; the echidna was curled up at the foot of the bed, sound asleep. James decided to let the little Fire-type get some sleep, and walked silently down the stairs and out into the yard. Pidgey was nowhere to be seen, but Geodude was curled up in a ball, fast asleep. James was glad he'd had the chance to obtain Geodude; a Rock-type would be important against Falkner's Flying-types. Geodude stirred at James' approach, and looked calmly at him with his dark eyes.

"So, you ready to win a badge, Geodude?" James asked the Rock Pokémon, and Geodude gave him a thumbs-up. "Awesome. You keep up...whatever it is you were doing, and I'll come get you when we head over." Geodude rocked back and forth once—James interpreted this as a nod—and curled back into a ball, while James walked slowly back into the house, trying to gather his thoughts before he prepared for battle.

As he entered the house, he looked over at a pair of framed photographs on the wall of the living room. James smiled as he noticed them: these were the pictures his mother had had taken when his brothers left. There, on the left, that was when Darrell left with Totodile; James was no older than four years old at the time, grinning broadly as the small crocodile made itself at home on Darrell's head. Then on the right, the picture Andrea had taken when Shane and Chikorita went off on their short journey, the small Grass-type nuzzling her trainer's cheek. Soon, a third photograph would be hung, this time with James and Cyndaquil front and center.

James turned from the photos and walked into the living room to collapse on the couch. He lay on his back, staring at the ceiling and considering everything that had happened so far. Soon, he'd be competing in his first major battle, with Cyndaquil at his side, and his family and best friend behind him. Then he'd be leaving, traveling across Johto...it was too much to think about. He decided that he should go back to sleep for a bit, so he fell asleep on the couch, lost in his thoughts.

After what felt like a few seconds, James woke again to find Cyndaquil perched on the arm of the couch, looking at him with his head tilted inquisitively.

"Oh, hey, buddy," James said, sitting up and stretching his stiff body. "You ready to go beat Falkner at the Violet Gym?" Cyndaquil nodded enthusiastically, then jumped onto James' shoulder. "I'll take that as a yes," James said with a chuckle, and walked back out towards the yard. There he found Shane putting out containers of Pokémon food and dodging the occasionally errant moves of the Pokémon who were helping James' Pokémon practice for their gym battle.

"Morning, kiddo," Shane said with a wide grin as he finished opening the last container. "Mom saw you passed out on the couch and decided to let you sleep. All fired up for your battle?"

"Of course!" James said, and Cyndaquil squeaked an affirmative. "Hey, Cyndaquil, why not go practice with the others? You need to be prepared too, after all." At this, Cyndaquil jumped down and ran over to Feraligatr and Pidgey, nearly getting drenched by the Big Jaw Pokémon's Hydro Pump. After an indignant look at Feraligatr, Cyndaquil began launching fire bolts at the croc, who shrugged them off like they were nothing.

"Cyndaquil's all fired up, James," Shane told him, watching the Fire Mouse train with the others. "So, are _you_ fired up, kid? You know Falkner's not gonna go easy on you."

"I know that," James said with a slight frown. "But like I said before, I don't plan on losing. We may just be starting out, but that doesn't mean we're not going to give this our best shot."

"That's a good mindset to have." Shane smiled. "Come on, let's go eat something before we head to the gym. Bet you I can eat more waffles than you."

"You're on!" James shouted as the two brothers charged for the door, falling over each other in the process.

* * *

An hour later, the entire Curtis family was walking over to the Violet Gym, a towering edifice that overshadowed half the southern side of the city. Along the way, Jen and her parents met up with them, and everyone was in good spirits as they awaited the coming battle.

They reached the gym quickly, and James looked up at the ornate tower, above which he could faintly see a few Flying-types stretching their wings. Cyndaquil's mouth opened upon seeing the tower's height, but he quickly closed it. James shook his head to clear it, set his jaw, and stepped toward the gym's doors.

"My name is James Curtis, and I am here to issue a battle challenge to Falkner, the Violet City Gym Leader!" As James' voice echoed through the still air, the door opened, and a tall boy about Darrell's age stepped out, his dark blue hair covering one piercing eye.

"So, you've come to challenge me at last," Falkner said, a smile crossing his face. "Well, you've certainly been patient, that's for sure. It's been a while since a Curtis brother and I battled." He turned to the rest of the group. "Ah, you brought the whole gang, did you? Excellent to see you all again."

"It's been too long, Falkner," Darrell said, grasping hands with his friend.

"Yes, it certainly has. But this is not the time for reminiscing. I believe your younger brother and I have a battle to attend to. If you wish, you may take the elevators to the left. I will take one with my challenger here."

"Sounds good," Matt Curtis told him, and he led his family to another elevator, while the Richards family took a third.

"Are you ready for this, James?" Falkner asked, looking his young opponent in the eye. "Your brothers didn't find it easy to defeat me, and I will definitely not go easy on you either."  
"Oh, don't worry, I'm ready," James answered, a smile crossing his face. "And we won't be going easy on you either, 'cause we're going to win this!"

"I like your confidence, kid," Falkner smiled. "Well, we're here. Let's get rolling." The door opened, and James walked out into the high courtyard, the battlefield spotless and ready to go. "Challenger James Curtis, welcome to the Violet Gym!"  
It was a spectacular sight. Spearow and Pidgey circled the field, while Falkner's trainees stood shoulder to shoulder, awaiting their master's orders. At Falkner's signal, they recalled the circling Pokémon, and one stepped forward and addressed the spectators.

"Attention! The official Johto League battle featuring James the challenger and Falkner, the Violet Gym Leader, will now begin! At stake is the Zephyr Badge! Each trainer will be permitted to use three Pokémon, and the battle is over when all three on either side are rendered unable to battle! In addition, only the challenger may substitute! Begin the match when ready!"

"I'm ready when you are, Falkner!" James called from the challenger's side. "You won't beat us, count on it!"  
"Alright, then, show me what you can do. You've seen me battle against your brothers, now it's time to see how _you_ fare! Go, Hoothoot!" Falkner tossed a Pokéball into the air, which opened and released a brown, rotund owl-like Pokémon in a flash of light. Its reddish eyes were surrounded by black clock-like markings, and only one of its feet was visible.

"Hoothoot, huh?" James said to himself as he took out his Pokédex. He trained it on the owl and waited for its data.

_"Hoothoot, the Owl Pok__é__mon. It is capable of determining the exact time of the day, and has a __habit of only standing on one foot."_

"So that's why I always thought it only had one foot..." James murmured before hardening his expression. "Well, let's hit 'em hard right off! I choose Geodude!" The Rock Pokémon emerged, flexing its arms as it sized up Hoothoot, calmly weighing its options.

"Alright, James, you have the honor! Come at me with everything you've got!"

"Right!" James shouted, feeling a buoyant surge of adrenaline. "Geodude, Tackle!" Geodude pushed off the ground with its muscular arms and slammed face-first into Hoothoot before returning to it's defensive position.

"Not bad, but you won't stop us! Hoothoot, go after that rock with your Peck attack!" Hoothoot dove for Geodude, its sharp beak lightly glowing and pointing right at the Rock-type. Geodude prepared to brace itself, but James wasn't going to let Hoothoot's direct approach go unpunished.

"Geodude, use Defense Curl and then Rollout! Take it out!" Geodude obediently rolled up and bounced off the ground, smashing head-on into Hoothoot, sending the Owl Pokémon hurtling towards the battlefield.

"Hoothoot, don't give up! Give it another try with your Tackle attack, full tilt!" Hoothoot recovered, and rocketed at Geodude, its movements significantly slower; the Rollout had taken a lot out of it.

"Geodude, finish this! Use Rollout again!" Knowing Rollout would keep getting stronger as it continued, James was confident that the Rock-type move, augmented by the earlier Defense Curl, would end this first match. Geodude bounced up again and collided violently with Hoothoot, who didn't even try to recover its composure; it was knocked out before it hit the ground.

"No, Hoothoot!" Falkner shouted, even though he knew it was useless to do so. He hadn't anticipated this from his very young challenger, not a quick, composed victory in the first round of battle. Most challengers found it difficult to get past his first Pokémon, and had to scramble to recover.

"Hoothoot is unable to battle! Geodude is the winner!" came the shout from the trainee acting as judge. Falkner called Hoothoot back, smiling as he did so.

"You did well against an opponent with an advantage, Hoothoot. Take a nice long rest."

* * *

"Wow, that was amazing!" Jen shouted as she watched Hoothoot go down. "James didn't even give Falkner time to react!" Next to her, Matt Curtis and John Richards were deep in conversation.

"Well, he's certainly not showing any beginner's yips, I'll give him that." Matt was saying. "I didn't expect that kind of thinking on his part."

"He's got a ways to go yet," Mr. Richards answered, his tone grave. "He may have taken down Falkner's first Pokémon, but even so, he can't become complacent. He's got to keep this pace up or collapse and lose if he can't."

"He'll pull it off," Shane chimed in. "He's got confidence and momentum, which is a tough combination to beat."

"Let's hope so," Matt said, as the group refocused on the battle at hand.

* * *

James wiped a bead of sweat from his brow as he prepared to face Falkner's second Pokémon. He raised Geodude's Pokéball and recalled the Rock-type, which drew a raised eyebrow from Falkner. "Geodude, take a break. I'll probably need you later, so rest up until then." James turned to Cyndaquil, who was standing by his right sneaker. "Cyndaquil, let's show Falkner how powerful you are." Cyndaquil nodded and rushed onto the field, squeaking a defiant challenge to the Gym Leader.

"So, a Fire-type next, is it? No problem for my next Pokémon. Go, Spearow!" This time, a fierce-looking bird with a hooked beak and narrowed eyes emerged, its short wings flapping hard to keep it in mid-air.

"Spearow..." James muttered; he knew about the Flying-type's bad temper, and he wanted to extinguish it before it worked up a head of steam. "Alright, Cyndaquil, let's hit it! Quick Attack!" Cyndaquil tensed, then raced at Spearow, a white trail following its path.

"Your Cyndaquil's fast, I'll give you that," Falkner said, a small smile crossing his face. "But not fast enough! Spearow, use your Peck attack!" Spearow dived, its sharp beak extended towards Cyndaquil. The two Pokémon collided, and both took damage. While Spearow's feathers just seemed out of place, Cyndaquil appeared to take the worst of the collision, landing awkwardly on its feet; Falkner saw his chance. "Spearow, don't let it go! Use your Fury Attack!" Spearow rushed towards the weakened Fire Mouse, dealing it a series of quick jabs with its beak, then flew back to establish some distance.

"Cyndaquil, stay strong! Ember!" Cyndaquil looked up, and sent a flurry of fire bolts at Spearow. Only a few hit their mark, leaving very minor scorch marks on the Tiny Bird's feathers. James growled under his breath; this was NOT how he'd planned to conduct this battle. He had to pull Cyndaquil before things got out of hand. "Cyndaquil, come here and take a rest!" Cyndaquil turned, nodded, and dashed back to James' side. James took out his last Pokéball and closed his eyes, willing himself to calm down. "Alright, let's turn this back around," he whispered, drawing his arm back. "Pidgey, let's go!" The ball snapped open, revealing the brown-feathered bird, who eyed Spearow disdainfully. "Alright Pidgey, Gust attack!" Pidgey whipped up a small tornado that buffeted Spearow as it worked to keep airborne.

"Spearow, you can't let that Pidgey beat you! Peck attack!" Spearow raced at Pidgey, beak extended and eyes narrowed.

"Pidgey, look out!" James called to the Flying-type, hoping she would hear him. Pidgey turned to face the onrushing Spearow and slapped it with her wing, sending the bad-tempered sparrow into a tailspin. "Wait, is that...?"

"Wing Attack," Falkner confirmed, watching in annoyance as Spearow tried to stop its downward momentum and re-enter the fight. "You just don't give up, do you, James? Well, neither do we! Spearow, pull out of that dive and finish this! Fury Attack!"

"Pidgey, hit it with another Wing Attack!" James called out as Spearow flapped its wings furiously to try and attack again. Pidgey flew down and whacked Spearow with her outstretched wing once more, knocking Spearow down and out.

"Spearow is unable to battle! Pidgey is the winner!"

* * *

"Two down, one to go!" Jen was so overjoyed she could barely contain herself. Shane was grinning broadly, and even Darrell found himself pumping a fist. Jen's mother was sitting with Andrea Curtis, and both were smiling as well. Only Matt Curtis and John Richards wore serious expressions.

"Dad, why the long face?" Shane asked, his smile fading a little. "James only has to take out one more of Falkner's Pokémon to win!"

"Yes, and it's at this point that a trainer can get overconfident and lose his focus," John told him, and Matt nodded in agreement. "James could just as easily lose this battle through his own impetuousness instead of his inexperience."

"Well, he's not going to lose, Dad!" Jen shouted, annoyance on her face. "He may be a beginner, but that doesn't mean he can't win it!"

"We'll see," her father said, as they turned back to watch as the battle continued.

* * *

"Pidgey, return!" James recalled Pidgey, hoping he wouldn't need her for the last round. He turned back to Cyndaquil. "Ready to finish this, buddy?" he asked, and Cyndaquil nodded before dashing back out onto the battlefield.

"Cyndaquil again? Well, at least it should give my final Pokémon a workout. Go, Pidgeotto!" Falkner's final Pokéball snapped open, revealing a bird-like Pokémon whose feathers resembled Pidgey's. The big difference, besides its being larger than Pidgey, was the red plumage on its head and tail, and its talons were sharp and fierce-looking.

"I knew Pidgeotto was last," James murmured as he took out his Pokédex. He trained it on Pidgeotto to scan its data.

_"Pidgeotto, the Bird Pokémon and the evolved form of Pidgey. Pidgeotto's territory can span up to sixty miles, and it defends this territory fiercely against any intruders." _James closed the Pokédex and breathed in deeply.

"Well, I know it's fast and it's a lot stronger than Hoothoot and Spearow. But we've got the momentum! We can't lose!" Cyndaquil heard his master and ignited the flames on his back in a defiant challenge to Pidgeotto.

"Well, let's see how you handle Pidgeotto, James! Pidgeotto, use your Gust attack!" Pidgeotto began to rapidly flap its wings, creating a small tornado that blew Cyndaquil off balance. "Now, Wing Attack!"

"Cyndaquil, use Ember!" Cyndaquil launched fire bolts at Pidgeotto, but the majestic Flying-type was unfazed, and slapped Cyndaquil aside with its wing.

"Alright, Pidgeotto, it's time to end this. Quick Attack!" Pidgeotto raced at Cyndaquil with blinding speed and crashed into the small Fire-type, knocking him backward and out.

"Cyndaquil is unable to battle! Pidgeotto wins!"

"Cyndaquil, no!" James ran over to the Fire Mouse, who squeaked an apology. "Don't be upset, Cyndaquil. You fought really hard, so now it's time for some rest." He carried Cyndaquil over to his trainer's box and set him down on the ground to watch the rest of the match. "Alright, Geodude, let's finish this match!" James threw the ball, and Geodude re-emerged, looking up at Pidgeotto with its usual calm expression. "Alright, Geodude, let's finish this match! Rollout!" Geodude curled up and bounced toward Pidgeotto, who stayed calmly where it was.

"Pidgeotto, Steel Wing!" At this command, the Bird Pokémon's wing glowed white and it smashed it into the onrushing Geodude, who fell back as the super-effective move hit. A closer look indicated that the Rock-type was finished.

"Geodude is unable to battle! Pidgeotto is the winner!"

* * *

"I was afraid this would happen," John Richards said to no-one in particular, though Matt Curtis nodded in agreement. "He allowed his confidence to get the best of him, and now he's down to his last Pokémon. He'd better get a hold of himself or he'll lose this battle."

"True," Matt answered, looking at his son as he recalled Geodude. "He doesn't seem rattled, but then, no trainer wants to. It's a sign of weakness, and if there's one thing I know about nearly every trainer, it's that they have a tremendous sense of pride. He's not going to let Falkner see any nerves, or Falkner will take him apart."

"Not to mention that it's just Pidgey left," Darrell added. "It's not going to be easy for James to beat Pidgeotto with its pre-evolved form."

"He won't lose! He can't!" Jen shouted, fervently expressing her confidence in her friend. "He's just got to tough it out, and he'll win this!"

"We'll see," Emma Richards told her, voicing her opinion for the first time. "You believe he can do it, Jennifer. The question is, does _he _believe he can?"

* * *

"Geodude, you did really well. Now get some rest." James bit back the rising wave of anger that was threatening to consume him, and took out Pidgey's Pokéball, his last. "Pidgey, I'm counting on you. Let's win this battle!" Pidgey emerged once again, and flew up to meet her evolved counterpart. Pidgeotto trilled a challenge, which Pidgey accepted with a look of disdain.

"Well, James, it's the final round. Let's give it everything we've got!"

"You bet! Pidgey, use Quick Attack!" Pidgey rocketed at Pidgeotto, her eyes narrowed.

"Pidgeotto, counter it with _your_ Quick Attack!" Pidgeotto's move collided with Pidgey's, sending them both backward. Pidgeotto had the advantage in size and power, so James had to find a way to circumvent this.

"Alright, Pidgey, try a Wing Attack!" Pidgey flew at her adversary and tried to slap Pidgeotto with her wing, but Pidgeotto shrugged the hit off easily.

"Pidgeotto, show them a proper Wing Attack!" Pidgeotto's attack struck Pidgey squarely in the face, and she fell to the ground in a spiraling tailspin. Falkner nodded and looked towards James' side of the field. "It looks like we're about finished, James. I'm afraid your energy and optimism weren't enough this time."

"Not if Pidgey has anything to say about it!" James turned to Pidgey, who had pushed herself off the ground and was swaying dangerously in midair. "Pidgey, let's show that Pidgeotto who's strongest!" Pidgey narrowed her eyes at him, but she rushed back into the air, charging right at Pidgeotto.

"So, looks like it's not over. But it will be soon! Pidgeotto, Quick Attack!"

"Pidgey, dodge and then use Gust!" Pidgey somersaulted over Pidgeotto's attack and began churning up another whirlwind, catching Pidgeotto in the vortex. "All right, Pidgey! Keep it up and use Quick Attack!" The Tiny Bird rushed into the whirlwind and slammed right into Pidgeotto, leaving it searching blindly for its much smaller pre-evolution.

"Pidgeotto, don't let it get away! Use Steel Wing!" Pidgeotto's wing glowed and it charged in what it thought was the right direction. It had guessed wrong.

"Now, Pidgey, finish this thing up! Wing Attack!" One final slap from Pidgey's wing caused Pidgeotto to crash-land, finally beaten.

"Pidgeotto is unable to battle! Pidgey is the winner; therefore, the victor is James from Violet City!" James jumped up at this, celebrating his first Gym badge. Pidgey flew to his hand and cooed quietly; she had grown to trust her master after he showed his faith in her. "Pidgey, you were incredible. Thanks a lot." Cyndaquil squeaked at Pidgey as well, and she nodded her head at him.

"James." Falkner's voice broke into the celebrations. "Well, it looks like your optimism paid off. Well done indeed."

"That means a lot, Falkner. Thanks." James answered, looking to see his and Jen's families coming down to congratulate him. "I figured I could do it, but I guess I needed to take the long way to do it."

"I suppose so," Falkner told him, reaching into his pocket. "Here, take this. It's the Zephyr Badge, to prove you won today."

"Thanks, Falkner!" James could barely contain his excitement. He stared at the badge, shaped into a rather accurate depiction of a pair of wings, and then closed his hand around it, savoring the moment. This feeling was interrupted by a certain small girl wrapping her arms around him.

"James, you did it!" Jen was almost as excited as he was. "You've taken your first step towards the Johto League Championship!"

"Thanks a lot, Jen," James said, as he felt Cyndaquil leap onto his head. "Now all you have to do is win your battle, and we'll be on the same level."

"Right, I almost forgot!" Jen answered, releasing James. "Hey, Falkner, what do you say to a battle with me tomorrow? I want to get my first badge as soon as possible.

"That's fine with me." Falkner replied, a slight grin making its way onto his face. "You'll find it no easier than James did, though, I promise you that."

"I'll be looking forward to it, too." Jen said, and the challenge was set.

* * *

_CHAPTER 7 PREVIEW_

_ Jen: Well, looks like my battle with Falkner is coming up soon! I'm going to have to work hard if I'm going to beat him, but hard work is always the right way to get things done! Magby, Togepi, Zubat: it's time to show everybody how powerful you guys are! Next time, in Pok__é__mon: Double-J __Adventures: Jen VS Falkner! Everyone, get Pok__é__mon!_

* * *

** So that's settled, everyone. James now has a Zephyr Badge, and Jen is trying for hers next chapter. It's taken me nearly four months to write this chapter, so hopefully it's alright! (College does not allow for much spare time to write, believe me)**

** That said, please do read, REVIEW, and give me some feedback. If I can improve this story in any way, do let me know. SJShark23 going on station.**


	7. Jen VS Falkner

** Hi and hello, everyone! Here, after a VERY (_very_) long while, is Chapter 7 of _Double-J Adventures._ This time around, we'll witness Jen's first Gym battle. Everyone ready? I sure am! Let's do it!**

** Disclaimer: I don't own Pokémon; Nintendo and Satoshi Tajiri do.**

* * *

** POKÉMON DOUBLE-J ADVENTURES**

** CHAPTER 7: JEN VS FALKNER**

* * *

The scene atop the Violet Gym's tower was much the same as the day before, only with a different figure in the challenger's box. Jen, wearing an ice blue shirt, stood ready to battle, while Falkner stood on the other side, his usual in-battle stare on his face.

"Today's Johto League battle between the challenger, Jennifer, and the Gym Leader, Falkner, will now begin! The prize is the Zephyr Badge! Each side is allowed three Pokémon, with only the challenger permitted to substitute her Pokémon! Begin the match when ready!"

"I'm ready! Togepi, let's go!" Jen tossed out her first Pokéball and released her baby Pokémon; Togepi skipped in a circle and promptly tripped over. Jen shook her head and giggled slightly, and prepared herself for Falkner's first choice.

"Not many challengers send a Pokémon like Togepi at me. This should be interesting." Falkner mused as he expanded a Pokéball. "Alright, Spearow, let's go!" The brown sparrow emerged, loosing a piercing shriek as it eyed up Togepi. Togepi, for her part, simply squealed happily and continued skipping. Jen opened her Pokédex and pointed it at Spearow, ready to add its information to her database.

_"Spearow, the Tiny Bird Pokémon. Spearow has a vicious temperament, and will mercilessly attack any adversary. However, it expends a lot of energy simply staying airborne."_ Jen stowed the Pokédex and turned her focus to the battlefield.

"Alright, Togepi, enough playing around. Let's start out with Charm!" Togepi responded quickly, widening its already enormous smile and directing its gaze at Spearow. The Tiny Bird's fierce stare faltered a little, and it looked less likely to go after Togepi.

"Trying to soften us up first, eh? Well, that won't stop us! Spearow, dive and use Peck!" Spearow hesitated slightly, and then rushed at Togepi, who skipped far enough away to lessen the impact. "Don't let it dodge you like that! Peck again!" This time Spearow's attack hit full on, sending Togepi flying with an anguished squeak.

"Togepi, no!" Jen was starting to become nervous; Togepi didn't have that much of an offensive repertoire, having only recently hatched, but she didn't want to switch too soon and reveal her lineup before she was ready. Switching was logical, but she'd lose her advantage of surprise. She had to make her decision quickly; the pressure was mounting.

* * *

"She's on the back foot already," Jen's father remarked, as he watched his daughter battle. "Sending out Togepi to start wasn't the best move."

"That's for sure," Matt Curtis said, also observing Jen's performance. "I understand that she's got to work with the tools she's given, but Togepi only hatched two weeks ago. If she could have caught a more powerful Pokémon along the way back here, she might be having an easier time of this."

"Yeah, but you overlooked one thing, Dad," Shane said with a sidelong look at his younger brother, who was watching intently with Cyndaquil on his shoulder. "Jen, like my little brother, does things her own way, and she thinks that using Pokémon like Togepi is best. She'll figure something out; James did."

"She's going to have to work fast," put in Darrell quietly. "Falkner won't let her get back into the battle easily. If Jen's not careful, Spearow will run circles around her Pokémon."

* * *

"Togepi, keep moving! Try to get a Charm in when Spearow passes you!" Togepi kept skipping about, barely avoiding Spearow's diving Peck attacks. Jen could sense that Falkner's Spearow was getting impatient; James had warned her before the battle that Spearow as a species were ill-tempered, and if she strung it along she would let its rage come to a head and make it even more difficult to take down.

"Spearow, don't let it evade you! Dive and use Fury Attack!" Spearow rocketed at Togepi and hit her with a series of rapid jabs with its beak. Togepi squealed in pain and tried to skip away, but Spearow had built up a head of steam and refused to let her go. "There's no escape from my Spearow when it's worked itself into a rage! It's too strong to overcome!" Jen watched in despair as Togepi took hit after hit, and eventually pulled out Togepi's Pokéball.

"Togepi, return! Let's not take any unnecessary risks!" As Togepi disappeared in a flash of red light, Jen took a deep breath and used the pause to recompose herself. "Alright, Falkner's Spearow's all worked up. I can't take it down from below, so I'll hit him from the skies! Zubat, that means you!" The blue Bat Pokémon chittered as it was released, using its sonar to locate its opponent. Jen knew it might be at a disadvantage during the day, but she also knew that an aerial battle was the only way to take out Spearow.

"So, another Flying-type, eh?" Falkner called across the battlefield. "You don't think you can beat a Flying master like me in the air, do you?"

"I plan to!" Jen shouted back. "Let's get going already! Zubat, Supersonic!" Zubat opened its mouth and let out a powerful sonic shriek that pulsed through the air and made everyone, even Falkner, cover their ears.

"That's...some Supersonic, kid." Falkner said, watching Spearow to see if it was affected. "But Spearow won't..." He trailed off as he watched Spearow look wildly around, clearly confused by the sonic blast. "So, you've confused my Spearow, have you? We'll see how long that lasts. Spearow, Peck attack!" Spearow looked at its master with unfocused eyes and promptly dived towards the ground. "What? What's it doing, diving into the ground like that?"

"Looks like your Spearow finally lost its focus. I just had to wait you out, Falkner. Time to finish this up. Zubat, go use Bite on Spearow now!" Zubat sped towards Spearow and sank its fangs into the Tiny Bird's wing. Spearow squawked angrily, but its confusion persisted, and Zubat pulled up as its opponent crashed headfirst into the ground.

"Spearow! Don't give up!" Falkner looked at Spearow as it tried to pick itself up, but collapsed with a dazed look in its eyes.

"Spearow is unable to battle! Zubat is the winner!" Jen smiled as Zubat circled its defeated opponent, which disappeared as Falkner recalled it.

"Spearow, you performed tremendously. Take a good, long rest." Falkner let a small smile creep onto his face as he looked at his young competitor. She had taken a bad situation and turned it around, but she had revealed two of her Pokémon already. He would use this knowledge to his advantage.

* * *

"That took longer than it should have," James muttered as he watched Zubat take down Spearow. "She showed too many Pokémon too early, and gave Falkner the edge." Cyndaquil squeaked its agreement from James' shoulder.

"She'll come through, kid," Shane told his brother. "Jen may be a beginner like you, but she's got a lot of potential. Her Pokémon will pull it off."

"Let's hope so," John Richards said, looking at his daughter as she prepared for the next battle. "She's got to keep fighting hard, and keep faith in her Pokémon."

"She will," his wife told him, and James' mother nodded as well. "Our Jennifer has never given up before, and she won't now."

* * *

"Well, time for our next battle," Falkner said, taking out a second Pokéball and tossing it out. "Hoothoot, let's go!" Jen knew the owl wouldn't go down as easily as it had to Geodude, but she was confident after putting Spearow away.

"Zubat, use Supersonic right away!" Zubat loosed the sonic shriek again, but Hoothoot looked unfazed by the assault. "Huh? Why didn't it work?"

"You won't confuse us every time, Jennifer." Falkner said from across the field. "Hoothoot is used to sleeping through loud noises during the day; it's not as easily susceptible as Spearow might be." Jen wasn't happy to hear that, and neither was Zubat, who rocketed at Hoothoot with its jaws gaping, revealing its long, sharp fangs.

"That's it, Zubat! Use your Bite attack!" Zubat obediently bit down on Hoothoot's short wing, prompting the owl to flap its wings frantically, trying to dislodge the blue bat. Now, Leech Life!" Hoothoot began to glow as its energy was drained, but didn't react very much. "Wait, why isn't it working?"

"It's working, but Bug-type attacks like that won't have much effect on a Flying-type. Hoothoot, shake it off!" Hoothoot's rapid wingbeats eventually shook Zubat loose, and the two Flying-types faced each other in midair, priming for another attack. Zubat started waving its wings and launched a blade-like air current at Hoothoot, knocking it off-balance.

"Is that Air Cutter?" Jen asked in amazement, as she watched Hoothoot wobble in midair.

"Yes, it is. Your Zubat is fairly advanced for its evolutionary level. But we've got our own tricks! Hoothoot, Confusion attack!"

"Jen, get Zubat out of there!" Jen heard James shouting from the stand. "A Psychic-type move like that is going to rip through a Poison-type!" Jen, however, stood transfixed as Hoothoot fired a blue beam of energy from its eyes and slammed it into Zubat. Zubat fell out of the air and crash-landed, chittering weakly as it fainted.

"Zubat is unable to battle! Hoothoot wins!"

* * *

"How come he held that back against me?" James wondered aloud, as Cyndaquil looked on in shocked silence. "Was he hoping that...?"

"He knew two-thirds of Jen's lineup," Shane answered, his eyes wide. "If he'd revealed it when he battled you, he would've given Jen a chance to find a counter-strategy. Not that you gave him much time to show it, but..."

Now it's just Magby and Togepi left," John Richards said to no-one in particular. "Togepi's banged up from its fight with Spearow, but Magby's still fresh. Jennifer needs to battle carefully from now on; if Falkner's got Pidgeotto in reserve, she might be in for a defeat if she expends too much energy now."

* * *

"Alright, Togepi, time to come back out!" Togepi reappeared, and Hoothoot readied itself for battle.

"Hoothoot, don't let it distract you! Keep a cool head and we'll blow that Togepi away!"

"Not on my watch! Togepi, use Charm!" Togepi smiled widely at Hoothoot, who turned away, unimpressed. "Not interested, huh? Alright, Growl!" Jen giggled as Togepi let out what it obviously thought was a growl, but was really another high-pitched squeal.

"Looks like your moves aren't doing the job. Hoothoot, Peck attack! Finish it off!" Hoothoot dived towards Togepi, its beak extended, ready to end the battle. In response, Togepi stood stock still and began waving its hand back and forth.

"What the...that's Metronome!" Jen was ecstatic; Metronome might be completely random, but it had the potential to pull her a winning move. Togepi stopped its rhythmic hand-waving and stood still again...then squealed as a small yellow bolt of electricity shot from her hand and struck Hoothoot full-on.

"Metronome may have given you a strong attack, but don't think a simple ThunderShock is enough to finish Hoothoot! Peck attack, now! End this match!" Hoothoot fought through the bolt and crashed into Togepi hard enough to knock her out, but the Electric attack had taken its toll and Hoothoot was beaten.

"Both Pokémon are unable to battle! This round is a draw!"

"I don't believe it!" Falkner was so shocked he could barely get the words out. "We've trained so hard to resist Electric-type moves, I can't understand how a mere ThunderShock could beat us." He smiled, realizing that this was part of being a Gym Leader, experiencing new surprises every battle. "Well, my friend, you've done well to get past Spearow and Hoothoot, although that ThunderShock couldn't have been predicted. But you still have one more Pokémon between you and the Zephyr Badge. I think you know who it is."

"Bring it, Falkner!" Jen shouted, taking out Magby's Pokéball. "We're not planning on leaving without a badge! Magby, let's get out there and finish what we started!" The Live Coal Pokémon emerged, blowing out several glowing embers as she readied for battle.

"Another baby Pokémon? This should be interesting. Pidgeotto, let's go!" The majestic bird Pokémon appeared in a flash of light, its red plumage shining in the midmorning sun, and glared at Magby as it got into position.

"Magby, let's start off with SmokeScreen!" Magby inhaled deeply and then expelled a huge cloud of black smoke from its mouth, obscuring the entire battlefield. "Alright, now use Ember!" The small Fire-type was well hidden from Pidgeotto by the smoke, but the fire bolts she launched gave her position away. Pidgeotto shrugged off the attack and waited for Falkner's orders.

"Pidgeotto, use Whirlwind! Blow that smoke away!" A quick gust of wind did just that, and Magby took the opportunity to send another Ember attack at Pidgeotto. This time, the fire bolts seemed to cause some damage, scorching the Bird Pokémon's wings.

"Alright, Magby! Keep it up!" Magby obliged, and the Ember attack became even more rapid. Pidgeotto was reduced to moving around the sky trying to dodge the attacks, and Falkner eventually lost patience.

"Pidgeotto, Steel Wing! Take it out!" Pidgeotto's wings glowed, and it crashed into Magby with tremendous force. The Steel-type move didn't cause much damage, but was enough to distract Magby from her Ember barrage.

"Magby, it's in close! Fire Punch!" Magby's fist caught fire, and it dealt Pidgeotto a powerful punch to its left wing. Pidgeotto managed to get away, but as it flew back up, it listed badly to one side, and was showing visible effort in keeping its left side airborne.

"Pidgeotto! Are you alright?" Pidgeotto trilled an affirmative, but then winced as the full force of the Fire Punch kicked in. Its wing was still scored with small scorch marks, and a large red mark appeared at the point of impact. Magby crossed her arms in triumph, which annoyed Pidgeotto even further.

"Looks like Pidgeotto's a bit slower than usual. Your aerial advantage doesn't count as much now!" Jen was becoming more confident; she may have gotten off to a slow start, but she was ready to finish off in style. "Magby, use Smog!" Magby sent a cloud of gray smoke at Pidgeotto, and the powerful bird sank even further in the air. "Now, Ember!" The flurry of fire bolts brought Pidgeotto to the ground, where it pulled itself up, but couldn't get back in the air: its wing was injured to the point that it could hardly move it.

"Pidgeotto! Try a Gust attack!" Pidgeotto struggled to move its wings, but the damage was too heavy. It was wide open for a final strike.

"Magby, time to finish this battle! Fire Punch!" Magby charged at Pidgeotto, its fist ablaze. One ferocious blow put Pidgeotto on the ground, finally spent. The judge looked at Pidgeotto, whose dazed eyes became unfocused, and the verdict was clear.

"Pidgeotto is unable to battle! Magby wins, and so victory goes to the challenger!" Jen ran onto the battlefield and hugged Magby, while Falkner went to tend to his battered friend.

"Pidgeotto, are you okay?" Pidgeotto trilled weakly, looking disappointed. It tried to get up, but Falkner wouldn't let it. "Hey, relax, you fought bravely through that injury. Time for you to take a well-earned rest." After recalling Pidgeotto, he motioned to one of his students, whom he instructed to take his Pokémon to the Pokémon Centre. The assistant raced off to complete his assignment, and Falkner looked across the battlefield at Jen, who had Magby in a bear hug, and smiled to himself. "The thrill of victory...and the agony of defeat." he murmured. "It's unfortunate, but that's how Gym battles go." Jen, meanwhile, met her parents and James' family at the edge of the field.

"Well done indeed, Jennifer." Emma Richards said, giving her daughter a hug of her own.

"You and your Pokémon were excellent," her father added. "For your first Gym battle, you passed the test with flying colors." James' family added their congratulations as well. Jen looked at James, who had a big grin on his face. Cyndaquil jumped down from his shoulder and squeaked happily, and Magby animatedly returned his greeting.

"So we both pulled it off, huh?" Jen said, breaking the silence between her and her friend. "Now we get ready to move on."

"Guess so," James answered. He looked around quickly, then held out a hand. "Way to go, Jen. You battled really hard, and you deserved this win." Jen responded to the outstretched hand by wrapping James in a hug, and the boy stiffened in surprise. Cyndaquil cocked his head inquisitively, but before he could inquire further, Jen let James go and turned to face Falkner, who had walked over as this was going on.

"Jennifer, you and your Pokémon did a fantastic job today. Many thanks for a great battle."

"Thanks, Falkner. I hope your Pidgeotto recovers soon." Despite her delight at winning, she was concerned about the injuries the bird had suffered.

"I thank you for your concern, Jennifer. But don't worry, Pidgeotto should be fine; he's taken worse beatings than that. Now, I have something here for you." He took the winged Zephyr Badge from his pocket and held it out in his palm. "Congratulations, Jennifer, you have just won your first Johto League badge." Jen took the badge from Falkner and closed her hand around it.

"Thanks a lot, Falkner. It means a lot." She jumped into the air, raising the hand that held the badge. "Alright, we just got a Zephyr Badge!" She then turned to her parents. "Mom, Dad, what now?"

"Well, I think we should have some sort of celebration." Emma smiled, looking with pride at her daughter. "Matt, Andrea, what do you think? Shall we all celebrate together?"

"Sounds fine to me," Matt Curtis answered. "Why don't we all go home to relax, then we'll have a small party at our place this evening."

"Emma, why don't you and I take care of dinner for everyone tonight?" Andrea asked Jen's mother. "If all of us are going to be in one place, we'll need to team up on this one."

"I would love to, Andrea." Emma said. "Alright, everyone, I think Falkner's had enough of our company for one day. Let's go home." The group said their goodbyes to Falkner, and then headed for the exit.

* * *

_CHAPTER 8 PREVIEW_

_James: Finally, I'm heading out to traverse the Johto Region! But wait, what's that you say? No, you're kidding! I don't believe this! Alright, if you say so, but I don't agree! Next time, in Pokémon Double-J Adventures: An Unexpected Development! Everyone, get Pokémon!_

* * *

** Alright, THAT took a lot of work. It's been almost a year since my last update, so please make it worth writing by reading and maybe leaving me a review on your way out. It does help, guys! I'm back to college later today (it's nearly 4AM at the time of writing), so any feedback will give me confidence going into the new semester (especially since I'm learning Japanese now!)**


	8. An Unexpected Development

** Hi and hello, everyone! Yes, it is I, SJShark23, back from my long absence to bring you Chapter 8 of Double-J Adventures, where we rejoin James and Jen as they get closer to their departure from Violet. How's everything going to turn out? Read on and find out!**

** Disclaimer: I don't own Pokémon; Nintendo and Satoshi Tajiri do.**

* * *

** POKÉMON DOUBLE-J ADVENTURES**

** CHAPTER 8-AN UNEXPECTED DEVELOPMENT**

* * *

The rest of the afternoon after Jen's Violet Gym victory was only a few hours, but to James it felt like an eternity. He spent most of his time collecting whatever he thought he'd need on a long trip; Shane helped him with this, keeping track of what his brother had tossed into a haphazard mess near his desk. All the while, Cyndaquil was poking around the room, but stopped once one of James' empty Pokéballs fell from the desk with a BANG and sent the little Fire-type scurrying away.

"You really shouldn't leave those expanded, James." Shane told his brother as he picked up the ball and touched the small button on its front, shrinking it. "They could break if they fall, or just make a noise. Cyndaquil sure doesn't like them, I see," he added, smiling. "When they make a noise like that, it's no wonder."

"It's not my fault Cyndaquil gets spooked by them," James answered, tossing a black hooded sweatshirt onto the mountain of clothes and supplies. "He won't even stay in his own, and you should've seen how he acted when I caught Pidgey and Geodude: he completely freaked out. I'm sure he still thinks they're gonna break out when he least expects it."

"Some Pokémon can't stand 'em, kid." Shane put down the ball and started sorting through the pile. "Cyndaquil seems like an energetic Pokémon, which is unusual for his species. Most Cyndaquil are pretty lazy; yours can't sit still...kinda like you, as a matter of fact."

"What do you mean by that?" James asked, annoyance entering his expression now.

"Well, it's a point of contention among Pokémon researchers that domesticated Pokémon—particularly a trainer's first—sometimes reflect the personalities of their trainers. You've always been really energetic and a bit restless, even when you were little. The fact that Cyndaquil acts like you do is interesting, is all."

"Well, it's kind of a good thing he acts like me," James said, smiling now. "We wouldn't get along so well if he didn't."

* * *

Next door, Jen's situation was much different than James'. Everything she needed was already sorted and ready to be packed, and she was now making sure her essential equipment was separate from the rest: her Pokédex, Pokéballs and trainer card were on a chair near the door, so she wouldn't forget them or lose them among everything else. As she finished putting various t-shirts into a pile, her mother walked in.

"How are you getting along, dear?" she asked as she surveyed the room.

"Just fine, Mom," Jen said as she put a last shirt, a black one with an ice-blue diagonal stripe across the front, on the pile. "I'm just making sure I've got enough stuff to last for a big trip."

"Well, from the looks of things, you're just about ready to go." Her mother laughed, and Jen did too. Jen walked away from the piles of clothes and other items on the floor and jumped onto the bed, breathing out loudly as she landed.

"I'm so excited, Mom. From what James has told me, Johto's nothing like back in Sinnoh. I can't wait to see it all!"

"I'm sure you are, Jennifer. You've pleasantly surprised me and your father; we were afraid you wouldn't be very happy in a new town, let alone a new region. Just the fact that you've gotten used to it so quickly makes us happier than you can imagine."

"I promise, I'll make you guys so proud of me! Me and my Pokémon are going to reach the top, no matter what it takes!"

"I know you will, dear. Now, make sure you've double-checked everything, and tell your father to come and inspect when you're ready. I'm going to head next door and help Andrea—Mrs. Curtis to you—prepare dinner for everyone. I'll let you and your father know when to come over. Alright?"

"Sure, Mom. I'll make sure everything's ready to go."

"That's my girl." Emma gave her daughter a hug, and then left the room, while Jen began sifting through the various piles.

* * *

At about 6:30, Jen arrived next door with her father and headed into the yard. James and Shane were tossing a baseball back and forth, while their Pokémon had found a small corner to themselves, some sleeping, some eating, still others just lying around with nothing much to do. Jen let her Pokémon out and watched them run over to the group, and then walked towards the three boys.

"Hey guys! How're you doing?" she asked as she reached them, a big grin on her face.

"We're not too bad, Jennifer. How about you?" Shane answered as he fired the ball to James, who caught it and threw it back so hard that Shane had to take his glove off and shake his hand to dull the sting.

"I'm okay, just finished packing!" Jen said brightly, casting a glance at Shane's hand. "Are you going to be alright?"

"I'll be fine. James just has a really strong left arm, is all." James flushed a bit at the half-praise, and then walked over to his brother.

"Dad and Shane have been saying I should try out for the Electabuzz someday. They have this crazy idea that I could somehow turn them around." All three Curtis boys were big Electabuzz fans, appropriate for baseball-mad eastern Johto. "I think I'd have more success training Pokémon, to be honest."

"Well, we'll find out soon," Jen said with a cheeky smile. "We're both setting off tomorrow, and I just hope I can constantly battle the same way I did against Falkner. Without the early knockouts, that is," she added with a giggle. "My Pokémon learned a lot in that battle, and they've been growing a lot too. I'm hoping to find a lot of opponents along the way, so that they can grow as strong as they possibly can." At that moment, Darrell came out of the house carrying several folding chairs at once, followed by his father with two folding tables under his arms.

"You want some help with those, bro?" Shane called to Darrell, who ignored him and continued to walk over to the edge of the yard. The eldest Curtis brother set the chairs down, then looked over at Shane. "Okay, point taken," Shane muttered as he jogged over to help unfold the tables his father had brought out. James and Jen started to move the chairs as soon as the tables were set up, and almost instantly both their mothers started to bring out the food they'd prepared for everyone. Andrea Curtis had made a gigantic bowl of spaghetti with her signature Tamato Berry sauce, while Emma Richards produced a freshly made salad and home-baked rolls. Everyone sat down and began to help themselves to the food, and Shane set out food for the Pokémon before sitting down himself.

* * *

"This was fantastic, Andrea," John Richards said between mouthfuls of spaghetti, removing spots of spicy red sauce from the corners of him mouth. "You and Emma have truly outdone yourselves tonight."

"Thank you very much, John," Andrea replied, taking another bite of salad. "My grandmother used to make this same sauce when I was little, and the recipe's passed through three generations so far."

"Well, it's the best I've had in a long time," Jen piped up, finishing off her own plate. "Thanks so much, Mrs. Curtis, it was terrific."

"You're very welcome, Jennifer," James' mother told her, then got up and walking towards the house. She returned with two containers of ice cream and a stack of bowls, which she set on the table and opened the first. Everyone took a bowl and got some of the frozen dessert, before sitting down again. Once everybody had finished, they all helped clear the dishes away; James attempted to show off by trying to carry a table in by himself, but unfortunately, he could barely lift it. His father spared him by taking both tables in, leaving James to slump down on the grass in embarrasment.

"Don't worry about it, James," Shane said consolingly. "I couldn't lift that thing either."

* * *

Everyone sat down in the living room after everything was cleared away; Andrea decided to leave the washing-up until the next day. Emma had made a pot of tea, and the conversation changed topic several times. James was fiddling with a loose thread in his shirt before his father spoke up.

"Everyone, I think we need to discuss James and Jennifer's imminent departure," Matt Curtis said, looking meaningfully at his wife before turning to the two ten-year-olds. "I trust both of you are ready to go?" Both of them were taken aback by the abruptness of the question, but Jen nodded, while James muttered, barely audibly, "Yeah, Dad."

"Excellent, because we have some news for the two of you." Jen's mother told them, which caught both of their attentions. "As you probably remember, we haven't been in Johto long."

"Right," James said, looking uneasily at his parents. This wasn't news to him at all.

"That means that we, and particularly Jennifer, doesn't know the region very well." Emma continued, emphasizing the point. "So we have been talking with your parents about an idea that will benefit everyone, especially the both of you."

"And?" Jen didn't understand the sudden turn either. "What's your point, Mom?"

"The point is," James' mother said, deciding to get the news out sooner than later, "that we want you two to travel together." Silence fell after this, and it took a few seconds for either of the two to react.

"You're...you're kidding, right?" James couldn't believe this. "You mean, we're...we're going to have to travel alongside one another?"

"That's what _together _means, James," Shane said jokingly, before his mother's stare shut him up.

"Mom, Dad, I can't believe you don't trust me by myself!" Jen protested; she wasn't happy about it either. "I can manage!"

"It's not a question of that, Jennifer," her father said, trying to keep a lid on the proceedings. "But you know almost nothing about the region, and traveling alongside someone who does will be better for everyone."

"Trust us, it's for the best," James' father added, seeing that the news had had a less than ideal effect. "James, you are...shall we say a little impetuous? And Jen, as John says, doesn't know the area well. It would make us feel better if both of you were traveling together, rather than separately."

"Well..." James didn't like where this had gone. He had looked forward to being on his own, being able to travel at his own pace and train with just his Pokémon with him. But if their parents had made this decision already, there was nothing he could do about it. "Alright then, we'll travel together. Right, Jen?" he asked tentatively, seeing that Jen was as happy about this as he was.

"Yeah, I guess so," she said finally, accepting defeat. "Who knows, we might be better as a team. And we'll each have someone to train with, too."

"Excellent!" Jen's father said, and the tension calmed. "So, shall we all meet up again tomorrow to see these two off?"

"That's a fine idea," Matt Curtis said, nodding his approval. "James, you'd better pack your things tonight. Tomorrow will be too late."

"Fine, Dad," James answered, feeling a sudden fatigue hit him. He needed to get some sleep, too.

"Very well. We'll see you all tomorrow, then," The Richards family bade the Curtis family goodbye, and then headed back next door, while the Curtis boys ran for the stairs, racing each other back to their bedrooms.

"Calm it down, you three!" Andrea called after them, but couldn't help letting a smile cross her face. She knew the three boys were incredibly competitive with each other, and that things would get crazy soon enough. It was best to leave them to it.

* * *

That night, James tossed himself into bed after packing his last supplies into his bag. He was more tired than he had been in a long time, and knew that it would be a long time before he returned home. As he turned to shut off his desk lamp, his mother walked into the room and sat down on the edge of the bed.

"How are you feeling, James?" she asked, concern filling her face.

"Alright, I guess," James answered, turning over to face her. "I'm just a bit tired, is all. I can't believe I'm heading out tomorrow."

"Neither can we," Andrea said, smiling at her youngest son. "We knew this day was coming, ever since Darrell left home for the first time. You'll be just fine. After all, you'll have a friend with you, and your Cyndaquil seems to be the perfect partner."

"I know," James said, not really caring if he did. "It's just...it's going to be long, and hard. I'm definitely ready for it, but I really want to make you guys proud."

"You will," his mother said, stroking her youngest son's unkempt hair. "All you have to do is believe in yourself."

"Thanks, Mom," James told her as he closed his eyes. Andrea kissed him on the forehead and left him to drift off to sleep, ready for the challenges tomorrow.

* * *

_CHAPTER 9 PREVIEW_

_ Jen: Finally, we're on our way! We're not too far away, so let's check out the tower before we really get going! James, watch out for that ghost! Wait, that's a Pokémon? Then catch it and add it to your team! Next time, in Pokémon Double-J Adventures: A Gastly Encounter! Everyone, get Pokémon!_

* * *

**And there you have it. I must say, I hadn't touched this transitionary chapter since January, and I wasn't sure how to do it, but I think it turned out alright. Next chapter, we'll see the two protagonists finally embark on the long trek across Johto. As always, read, review and give me a shout! Until then, say****ō****nara, folks!**


	9. A Gastly Encounter

**Hi and hello once again, readers! Here is Chapter 9 of Double-J Adventures, where our two adventurers are getting set to head out! What's in store for them? Read on to find out!**

** Disclaimer: I don't own Pok****é****mon; Nintendo and Satoshi Tajiri do.**

* * *

** POK****É****MON DOUBLE-J ADVENTURES**

** CHAPTER 9: A GASTLY ENCOUNTER**

* * *

The next morning, James was once again up early, checking his belongings to make sure he left nothing behind. He had pulled on a blue t-shirt and black shorts, and was now checking that he had stowed his Pokédex in the pouch on the strap of his bag. Once he had made sure everything was ready to go, he slung the pack over his shoulder and headed downstairs to breakfast.

His mother had made another specialty, homemade waffles, and all three Curtis brothers tore into them with vigor. Andrea smiled as she watched her sons; it had been a while since they had all been home together, and she had nearly forgotten how much they cared for, and competed with, each other. Darrell had, of course, left home with Totodile six years earlier, and even competed in the Silver Conference two years later. Shane had gone on a journey, too, but decided to return home after a year and a half; traveling just didn't appeal to him. Instead, he had taken an interest in being a Pokémon breeder, and though he did train his Pokémon regularly, to him it was more of a hobby than anything else. James had proven the most ambitious of the three; he had been itching to get going ever since Darrell had left, and was already on his way after his victory at the Violet Gym. It wouldn't be easy for him, since he had his father and two brothers to compete with, but James didn't seem to care. All he wanted to do was shoot for the top, and Andrea was happy to see her youngest son live his dreams.

* * *

Jen's pack was ready downstairs in the Richards' front hallway, and Jen herself was finishing the remains of her own breakfast when her mother poked her head into the kitchen.

"Are you almost set to go, Jennifer?" Emma asked, smiling as Jen nodded vigorously. "Good. Finish up there, and then we'll go out to meet James and his family outside. Your father will be down soon; today of all days, he's decided to sleep in."

"Typical Dad," Jen giggled, putting her plate next to the sink. "He always sleeps in on the most important days. I'll just get my stuff together, and then I'll be ready to roll."

"That's my girl," Emma smiled, and Jen hurried to get her things ready to set out. Emma truly was happy to see Jen so prepared and eager. Moving to a new region at this point could have been a disaster, but they thought the cold of northern Sinnoh would have been hard to deal with as a beginning trainer. Then again, that hadn't stopped certain other trainers from the frigid north from accomplishing big things...

No, Jen would be fine. She had her Pokémon and her friend, and the pair were a perfect match. Both were enthusiastic and ready to go, and that was the best attitude to have as a youngster. Emma laughed to herself as she walked toward the front door, preparing to head next door to see the pair off.

* * *

Soon, the two families met in front of James' house, ready to bid farewell to their two aspiring adventurers. Cyndaquil had taken his habitual place on James' right shoulder, and was squeaking goodbyes to the entire group. Jen hugged her parents and then accepted farewells from the Curtis family, while James said his own goodbyes to his parents, then his brothers.

"Good luck to you, kiddo," Darrell said, as he ruffled his brother's hair. "You'll make us proud, I know it. The only limits on your potential are the ones you put on yourself."

"And never give up," Shane added. "No matter how tough things get, you have to find a way through them. Don't let anything stop you, and you'll be a terrific trainer."

"Thanks, guys," James said, and the three Curtis boys shared a group hug before James walked over towards Jen, readying himself to leave.

"Alright, you two, keep it together and have fun out there," Jen's father told them, smiling warmly at the pair of them.

"Yes, and _be careful_," Andrea Curtis added, aiming her gaze right at her youngest son. "Keep in touch, both of you, and stay safe."

"We will, Mom," James said, trying to reassure his mother. "We'll be fine."

"Yeah, please don't worry about us, Mrs. Curtis," Jen chimed in. "I'll keep James out of trouble, trust me."

"Alright, then, you two, get going. You've got a long journey ahead of you." James' father nodded to the pair, and with that they started moving towards the western city gate and the start of their adventure.

* * *

As James and Jen left their street, the first thing they saw was the Sprout Tower, impossible to miss due to its sheer height. They moved towards the entrance, wanting to take a closer look, and as they reached the gate they noticed a man wearing dark blue robes walk toward them.

"I judge by your attire and your eager demeanour that you are Pokémon trainers?" the middle-aged man asked, looking intently at both of them.

"That's right," James said, a little unnerved. He'd heard about these monks before; they were a mysterious lot, and few outsiders had met or trained with them.

"Excellent! My name is Chow, and I am one of the Sages of the Sprout Tower. May I ask yours?"

"My name's Jennifer, and this is my friend James." Jen answered, giving the Sage a friendly smile.

"An alliterative pair, interesting... And again, pardon my incessant questioning, but may I inquire which Pokémon you are carrying?"

"Uh, I have a Cyndaquil, Pidgey and Geodude." James told the Sage, still unsure where this was going.

"And I've got a Magby, a Togepi and a Zubat." Jen added, sharing a quick glance with James afterward. His expression was clear: _what does he want with us?_

"Fire, Rock, Flying, Normal...all strong types, but ones that can take some time to train properly." Chow pondered this for a minute, leaving the two ten-year-olds to look at each other in confusion. "Ah, perfect! I have a suggestion for the pair of you."

"What's that?" James asked, still badly confused.

"Well, why not come train with the Sages for the day? It will help our younger Sages to get some practice in, and you will benefit from the training as well. Are you up for it?" James considered this for a minute; they hadn't even gotten out of Violet yet. Eventually, a grin crossed his face.

"You're on, Chow. We are beginners, after all, and we're going to have to get used to hard training. What do you say, Jen?"

"Let's do it!" was Jen's only reply.

"Excellent! Please, follow me, and we shall begin the training." The two youngsters followed Chow inside, ready to experience the training methods of the Sprout Tower Sages.

* * *

The entrance hall was full of robed monks going about their daily business. Not all of them wore the same colored robes as Chow; some wore grey, while others wore red or yellow. As Chow led James and Jen to the training chamber, he explained that the colors represented one's rank within the order. His own blue robes symbolized a mid-level rank, while the yellow was for new dedicates. As James tried to square the colors and meanings in his head, they reached the training chamber, which was full of mostly red-robed monks practicing their battle techniques.

"This, of course, will just be one part of your training today," Chow told them. "These Sages you see here are monks of the First Rank, and are just high enough above you in skill to test you. Due to the order's code, all trainees will use a Bellsprout or an evolution thereof. This will be a good chance to gain experience battling Grass-types, and our first-rank dedicates will learn how to counter types with an advantage, such as James' Fire-type Cyndaquil. Let us begin." Chow turned and beckoned towards a small knot of monks. "Trainee Cheng, if you will?" A tall young man stepped forward, drawing a Pokéball from within his robes.

"My Bellsprout and I proudly take on all opponents, advantage or no! You will not defeat me! Which of you will oppose me first?" James and Jen looked at one another, and James motioned toward the young monk.

"He's all yours, Jen," he told her, and Jen smiled at him before stepping onto the battlefield. Li looked from the girl to the monk and then raised his arms.

"Very well, let this match begin!"

* * *

The entire day was one long, hard training session. The monks were firm but helpful opponents, and both youngsters learned different things about their Pokémon and their unique abilities. James, in particular, learned the hard way that his direct approach was not always best.

"In many fights, being straightforward is often the most useful way," Chow had told him. "But sometimes, you must learn to outwit and confuse your opponent if attacking directly does not work. A Pokémon trainer must learn to adapt his strategy to whatever the opponent offers, for it is flexibility, among other attributes, that separates a run-of-the-mill trainer from a Pokémon Master." Both James and Jen took his words to heart, but Jen proved the better at outsmarting her opponents. Though her Pokémon were not the strongest attackers, she learned to use their moves to harass her opponents and gain a psychological advantage.

Not all the training was related to battles, though. The monks also underwent stringent physical and mental training in order to perform at their peak at all times. James proved adept at most of the appropriate physical training, outperforming many of the new dedicates in agility and endurance challenges. Jen performed well in the awareness tests, learning to anticipate moves and look for even the slightest movement; according to the monk overseeing the tests, these subtle movements could be the difference between avoiding a strike or being hit by one. Chow was impressed by what he saw, and he congratulated the pair on their accomplishment.

"You should be proud of yourselves, young ones," he said after they finished their final tests. "Not many outsiders are up to the challenge of our training, but you have persisted and now your training here is complete. Well done to you both."

* * *

After the pair joined the monks for their evening meal, they got ready to say goodbye to Chow and the Sages, tired but glad to have taken up the training for the day. The Sprout Tower was almost empty when they walked with Chow towards the exit; most of the monks had either retired to their chambers or gone to tend to the order's evening rituals. As they entered the second floor hall, James noticed a small disturbance in the air, and stopped short to look for it.

"Is something wrong, young man?" Chow asked, as James scanned the room looking for whatever had caused the disturbance.

"Nothing's wrong, sensei," James answered, still looking for whatever was there. "I just saw something strange in the air, that's all."

"Ah, I see your anticipation training has paid off," Chow said with a wry smile. "I probably should have mentioned this earlier, but the tower often plays host to some wayward Ghost-type Pokémon at night. The disturbance you mentioned might just be a wild Gastly. Try to find it. You might even be able to capture it." James nodded, and kept scanning the room. Cyndaquil did the same, its nose following what it thought was the potential Ghost. Eventually, he squeaked frantically and fired a quick Ember attack to James' left, and a black Ghost-type Pokémon appeared. The spectral creature was surrounded by a cloud of purple gas, and its mouth had two pointed fangs bared.

"It is a Gastly!" James cried, and quickly drew out his Pokédex to scan it before it fled.

_"Gastly, the Gas Pok__é__mon." _came the recording. _"This near-invisible Pok__é__mon can surround its target and put it to sleep in mere seconds."_

"James, quickly!" Jen interrupted, as James made to stow the device. Gastly was trying to escape through a window.

"Not if I can help it! Cyndaquil, use Quick Attack!" Cyndaquil darted at Gastly, but found itself crashing into a wall. "Hey, what gives? That should've knocked it back!"

"Normal attacks have no effect on Ghost-types," Chow said in a matter-of-fact voice. "I suggest you find a new strategy before it gets away."

"Alright, so direct attacks won't work this time..." James thought hurriedly, trying to devise a plan to trap the ghost. "Okay, here we go! Cyndaquil, use SmokeScreen quick!" The Fire Mouse recovered from its headfirst collision with the wall and engulfed Gastly with a cloud of black smoke. The next thing Cyndaquil saw was a dark purple ball of light hit it squarely in the face. As the Gastly left the smoke cloud, Cyndaquil looked around with a dazed expression, thoroughly confused. James groaned and called for Cyndaquil to come back, which it did after banging into another wall. "So, if we can't win this way, we'll find another! Pidgey, come on out!" The Tiny Bird flew into the air above Gastly as she was released, staring around with her sharp eyes.

"Come on, Pidgey!" Jen called, watching closely for the Gas Pokémon. James looked and saw that the smoke was spreading through the room. He needed to find Gastly fast, or he'd lose the capture.

"Pidgey, if you see Gastly move, hit it with Wing Attack!" Pidgey trilled as she continued glaring at the smoke cloud, and then dived at the ground, wings outstretched. James heard Gastly cry out as the Wing Attack hit its mark, and then saw Pidgey pull out of her dive, ready to strike again. He knew he had to be careful. A wind attack would blow Gastly away and cause havoc in the building, but he needed to get rid of the smoke in order to get a clear shot. "Pidgey, fly in a circle around the smoke! That should get rid of it!" Pidgey obeyed instantly, flying rapidly around Gastly's position, causing the smoke to dissipate and leave it vulnerable. James drew a Pokéball and threw it as hard as he could at the Ghost-type. "Alright, Gastly, you're mine!" The ball hit Gastly between the eyes, and to James' relief sucked it inside, a red light appearing on the ball's front. One shake...two shakes...three shakes...then the capture tone and silence.

"You did it!" Jen cheered as she ran over to him. "Looks like our day with the monks paid off, huh?"

"Yeah," James murmured, staring at the Pokéball in his hand. The day had been long and hard, but the training had indeed helped. "So that's another addition to the team. Awesome."

"You sound less than ecstatic, young one," Chow said, walking over to the two youngsters.

"Oh, I'm ecstatic, all right," James answered, trying to stifle a huge yawn. "I'm just really worn out. I think it's time for us to get going."

"Thanks for everything, sensei," Jen chimed in. "We'll never forget the lessons we learned here today."

"We will remember the lessons you have taught us as well. Though we Sages claim to be the enlightened ones, knowledge is never restricted only to one group. Everyone has something to teach others, and everyone has something to learn, too. Take care as you continue your journey."

"Thanks, Chow," James said, and both youngsters bowed before moving for the exit.

* * *

_CHAPTER 10 PREVIEW_

_ James: Well, we're finally out of Violet, and it's time to head for the next Gym. Hey, what's Hunter doing here? He's got himself a new Pok__é__mon? And his Bulbasaur's gotten stronger? New Pok__é__mon, new move...who cares? Attack still beats defense anyday! Next time, in Pok__é__mon Double-J Adventures: Return of the Hunter! Everyone, get Pok__é__mon!_

* * *

** And there's Chapter 9, finished at last! I figured I'd try to give my take on the Sprout Tower monks now, and save myself the trouble later. Here's hoping you guys like it.**

** As is standard operating procedure, please read, review and tell me what you think! Until next time, **_**sayōnara**_**!**


	10. Return of the Hunter

**Hello everyone! I have returned, none the worse for wear after the recent hurricane. Chapter 10 is here, and with it is the return of James' rival. How will the latest meeting with Hunter go? Read on to find out!**

** Disclaimer: I don't own Pok****émon; Nintendo and Satoshi Tajiri do.**

* * *

** POKÉMON DOUBLE-J ADVENTURES**

** CHAPTER 10: RETURN OF THE HUNTER**

* * *

After their long day of training with the Sprout Tower Sages, James and Jen decided to try and make some headway towards the next city—Azalea Town—before they stopped for the night. The light was dwindling as they headed south towards Route 32, which would take them to the Union Cave. As they left town, James turned back to look at his home city one last time.

"Goodbye, Violet...for now," he said, closing his eyes in tired thought. "We'll be back." They moved through the small cutout near the southwestern edge of town and past the gatehouse for the Ruins of Alph. The two youngsters looked at the information board near the ruins for a minute, then continued on; they needed to reach the Union Cave Pokémon Centre before it got too dark to travel anymore. James and Jen walked on in silence for a while, then Jen finally spoke.

"So, what kind of Pokémon does the Azalea Town Gym Leader use, James?" she asked, slowing a little. James thought for a minute, then responded.

"I'm pretty sure he uses Bug-types. If that's true, we'll both be in good shape, since each of us have Pokémon with an advantage over bugs. We shouldn't be too confident, though. Any Gym Leader is a cut above most trainers, especially beginners like us." After this exchange, the tired silence returned. The darkness was starting to close in, and the two youngsters picked up their pace to try and reach the Pokémon Centre sooner than later. As they rounded a group of boulders, they noticed a small blue Pokémon with purple antenna-like protrusions on its large, round head. It was running from something, but neither James nor Jen could understand why. Jen drew her Pokédex and scanned the fleeing Pokémon as it looked around frantically.

_"Wooper, the Water Fish Pokémon. This Water-type lives in cold water, and is coated in a slimy, toxic film."_

"So that's a Wooper. Someone must be tracking it, if it's that spooked." Jen said quietly, watching the small Pokémon try to escape into the grass. No sooner had it turned around that a flurry of scything leaves cut through the air, slashing the Water Fish and knocking it to the ground, where it whimpered in pain. Out from behind a nearby boulder leaped a Bulbasaur, growling in triumph as it looked on its prey.

"Wait, what's a Bulbasaur doing out here?" James shouted, all traces of fatigue gone. "Hold on..."

"Stop right there!" came a familiar voice, and following the Bulbasaur came Hunter, who had obviously been chasing the Wooper through the grass. "Bulbasaur, hold it down with Vine Whip!" As the vines caught Wooper near its antennae, it tried to fire a jet of water at Bulbasaur, but the Seed Pokémon stood firm.

"Hunter, what are you doing out here?" Jen cried, a little upset at seeing Wooper being held down, unable to defend itself; she couldn't bear to see a Pokémon suffer like that. "It's nearly dark, no-one in their right mind would be out this late! And what are you doing to that poor Wooper? Can't you see it's scared out of its mind?"

"I'm trying to catch this Wooper, if you must know!" Hunter shouted back, drawing a Pokéball and aiming carefully. "It's got strong defensive statistics, so it's a perfect addition to my team! Only problem is, I've been tracking it for hours, and it won't stay still long enough for me to catch it. Alright, here we go!" He threw the ball and watched it hit the Water-type squarely in the forehead. The Wooper was converted to red energy and sucked into the ball, and all three kids watched as it shook several times and then stopped, the capture tone echoing through the night. As James and Jen watched, Hunter walked over to the ball and picked it up, retracting it before he stowed it on his belt. He turned to Bulbasaur and gave it a congratulatory scratch behind the ears. "Solid work, Bulbasaur. We've got a new teammate now, so you'll be able to share the battle load. We're going to need to catch another one before we battle, Falkner, though..." Hunter recalled Bulbasaur and then turned to the two Violet trainers.

"So, fancy running into you two again, huh?" he said, a grin finally crossing his face. "I'm trying to build up my team so I can take on the Violet Gym. Did you two battle there yet?"

"Yeah, we both beat Falkner and won a Zephyr Badge." Jen answered, opening her badge case so Hunter could see. "We were on our way to Azalea Town when you showed up."

"Well, it looks like I've got a bit of catching up to do," Hunter said with a laugh. The trio started walking along before he continued. "I will catch you guys, though, don't even think about doubting that. I just need one more Pokémon before I head back to Violet."

"Any particular Pokémon you're considering?" James asked, stifling a yawn as they neared the Pokémon Centre.

"Oh, I've got an idea," Hunter answered with a knowing smile. "I'm just not going to tell you. We may be friends, James, but we're rivals too. I'm not going to let you get the edge that easily."

"If you say so." James tried in vain to hold back another yawn, but fatigue had truly set in now. Cyndaquil was already asleep, but James shook him awake when they reached the Centre. As the sliding doors opened, they saw two heavyset men wearing desert camoflauge pants and black shirts walk out. Jen stared after them as they left.

"What's with those guys? They were dressed kind of funny." she asked the others. James shrugged, not really registering much due to sleepiness, and Hunter simply raised an eyebrow. The kids reached the counter and handed Nurse Joy their Pokéballs. Jen inquired about a room for the three of them—the Centres usually acted as waypoints along a Trainer's route, and almost always provided temporary accomodations for travelers. Joy checked them into a room, then ran their Pokéballs through a complicated-looking machine. After the process finished, she handed each of them their Pokéballs back, and James wasted no time in releasing Cyndaquil. They thanked the Pokémon Nurse, and then headed for their room to get some sleep.

* * *

The next morning, the three youngsters discussed their future plans over breakfast, then headed outside to get some training in. They released their Pokémon and watched as they ran around and got warmed up for the training session. About five minutes in, Hunter turned to James.

"Hey, James, why don't we have a battle? I want to see how much better I've gotten, and I also want to see how my rival stacks up. You up for it?"

"Of course!" James answered, and turned to pick one of his Pokémon. "Hey, Pidgey, come here! We're going to battle!" Pidgey flew over and landed on his hand, her gaze as stern as usual.

"Interesting." Hunter mused, looking at Pidgey thoughtfully. "Alright, then, I'll go with Wooper. I'd like to see how my new Pokémon fares in battle." The two walked to the small battlefield and sent their Pokémon out, readying themselves for battle.

"All right, I'll start! Pidgey, use Gust!" Pidgey flapped her wings hard, creating a miniature tornado. Wooper stood its ground, refusing to be blown away. Hunter looked impressed; his focus on defense would be well-served with this kind of endurance.

"Wooper, stand firm and use Water Gun!" The Water Fish Pokémon let fly with a stream of water that forced Pidgey to fly away and get out of range. "Don't let up! Keep up that Water Gun!"

"Pidgey, Sand-Attack!" James wanted to distract Wooper long enough to get a hit in. The strategy wasn't his style, but it would have to do. The resultant cloud of sand was quickly turned to mud, which flew back at Pidgey in sticky globs. The Tiny Bird tried to get out of the way, but she couldn't evade it all and was weighed down by several clumps that stuck to her wings.

"We've got that Pidgey right where we want it! Move closer, and don't stop that Water Gun!" Still firing the attack, Wooper moved in towards its target, ready to try and finish off the battle.

"Not so fast! Pidgey, use Gust one more time!" Pidgey struggled at first, but eventually blew the mud off her wings by concentrating the tornado around herself. She glared at Wooper, who was staring back with a fierce smile on its face. Neither opponent would go down without a fight. James noticed that Wooper was moving closer, therefore closing down any maneuvering space. It wanted to get in a close-range hit, but James intended to use this strategy to his advantage. "Now, Quick Attack! Let's knock it out!" Pidgey raced at Wooper at full speed, crashing into her target and causing Wooper to break off its attacks and recover its balance.

"Way to endure that, Wooper! Don't let Pidgey of your sight!" Hunter was becoming more and more impressed by the Water- and Ground-type's endurance and refusal to go down. Wooper as a species had strong vitality and defensive ability, and he had scanned it before tracking it, finding it to have higher than normal defensive statistics. The fact that it could stand up to a fast, agile Pokémon like Pidgey gave him hope that he could take down the Violet Gym later on.

"Pidgey, keep moving and get ready to finish Wooper off!" James was getting worried. Any attempt to disrupt Wooper's line of sight would surely be cancelled out, and a direct attack would be met with similar results. He opted for the latter, hoping that Wooper would go down. "Quick Attack!"

"Stay strong and take the hit!" Hunter called as Pidgey raced towards her opponent. The attack hit home, but Pidgey stalled after the strike; Wooper was standing like a brick wall, stopping the Quick Attack cold. "Now we've got Pidgey where we want her! Water Gun!"

"No!" James cried, realizing how vulnerable Pidgey actually was. "Get out of there, now!" It was no use. Wooper unleashed a fresh blast of water, sending Pidgey crashing to the ground. As she struggled to get back in the air, Wooper ran up to her and blasted her again, ensuring that she was beaten.

"Looks like this one's over." Hunter said, a triumphant smile crossing his face. "Way to go, Wooper, you were terrific." After recalling the Water Fish, he walked over to where James was checking on his defeated Pidgey. "Is she alright?"

"She'll be okay," James told him, disappointment in his voice. "I'll take her back to the Pokémon Centre, and they'll get her back to full health. Your Wooper was something else. I've never seen a Pokémon take hits like that before."

"It certainly impressed me," Jen added, walking over to the two combatants. "You two are quite the pair of opposites. I guess this time, defense won the battle."

"Maybe," James mused. "So, that's that done. What're we going to do now?"

"Well, you should get your Pidgey to the Centre. You'll need her at full fitness to be effective." Hunter answered. "I'm going to head to the Union Cave after I heal Wooper. There should be some good Pokémon in there, and that'll bring my team up to three. How about you guys?"

"I think we should backtrack to the Ruins of Alph." Jen said, causing both James and Hunter to look at her in confusion. "Well, we might not get to see them again until we come back from the Pokémon League. This is a perfect time to go."

"Alright, the Ruins it is," James conceded. "Azalea Town won't run away before we get there, so we might as well."

"I might meet you guys there," Hunter added. "I've got to go back to Violet after I catch my third Pokémon, and I wouldn't mind seeing the Ruins either."

"Sounds like a plan!" Jen finished the discussion, and they headed back into the Pokémon Centre, their destinations in mind.

* * *

_ CHAPTER 11 PREVIEW_

_ Jen: The Ruins of Alph! People say this place is haunted by some mysterious Pokémon, but we're not scared. And who are these guys in the weird clothes? They don't look friendly at all! Next time, in Pokémon Double-J Adventures: Triassic Trouble! Everyone, get Pokémon!_

* * *

**Yeah, not as long as I wanted it, but it'll do. Hunter returns, and gets one up on his rival, which should be interesting as the story progressed. Plenty of action planned for the next chapter, so stay tuned for that.**

** As normal, please read, review and give me some feedback. I'm hoping to get to a more regular schedule for these updates, but I make no promises. Till next time, **_**say**__**ō**__**nara!**_


	11. Triassic Trouble

** Hey there, folks! Here is Chapter 11 of Double-J Adventure, featuring a visit to the Ruins of Alph. What adventure lies in store for our heroes? Will they find anything interesting in the mysterious Ruins? Read on to find out!**

** Disclaimer: I don't own Pokémon; Nintendo and Satoshi Tajiri do.**

* * *

**POKÉMON DOUBLE-J ADVENTURES**

** CHAPTER 11: TRIASSIC TROUBLE**

* * *

The walk to the Ruins of Alph didn't take as long as James expected; things seemed easier during the day, instead of in the evening after a strenuous day of training. Most of the Pokémon that lived in the area were active now, but neither youngster wanted to delay their visit to the Ruins with a drawn-out capture attempt. Cyndaquil was disappointed by this; he wasn't happy about not battling Hunter earlier, and was becoming restless. James let the Fire-type run through the grass along the way, which allowed him to release his pent-up energy. As the Ruins hove into view, Cyndaquil returned to James' shoulder, and they walked through the entrance gate to see a set of stone buildings, each with strange symbols marking their entrances. Neither James nor Jen could make sense of the ancient script, and they asked a nearby man whether he could.

"Unfortunately, I don't," the man said. "I think the scientists here know how, but I don't know if the research building has opened for the day yet."

"Okay. Thanks anyway," Jen told him, and she turned to James. "What now?"

"Well, we can't just stand around here all day. Let's go into this building here, it can't hurt." Jen nodded, and the pair entered the nearest building.

Inside, a small table sat in the center of a small chamber, with what looked like a sliding puzzle on it. Next to it, a small plaque bore a description of a round-shaped Pokémon that had only been found as a fossil. The two youngsters looked at each other, perplexed, then James spoke at last.

"Go for it, Jen. I think you should try and solve the puzzle." Cyndaquil squeaked an affirmative, and Jen turned to the puzzle, trying to place the tiles in the correct slots. James and Cyndaquil looked on, occasionally trying to help. After about ten minutes, the puzzle was finished. The finished picture looked something like a horseshoe crab with claw-like legs poking out from the front end of its shell. Before James could get his Pokédex out to scan the picture, there ground shuddered, and then, incredibly, the floor dropped into a dark alcove below the building. Both youngsters shouted in surprise, and the now-platform crashed down into what looked like a series of hallways. Miraculously, both of them were unhurt, but neither spoke, too frightened to do so.

"What in the world was that?" Jen asked after about a minute, her voice shaking. "If I'd known the puzzle would do that, I'd have left it where it was!"

"I think the completed puzzle triggered some kind of booby trap," James answered, checking to see if Cyndaquil was alright. Thankfully, the echidna had also escaped harm, but his back was aflame and his posture defensive. "The real question is, where are we now?"

"I don't know, but it looks like the walls have similar symbols to the one on that building we just got dropped out of. I can't make heads or tails of it."

"Maybe it's a secret code?" James asked, examining the walls himself. The symbols were arranged similarly to a system of characters, but in some archaic language. As he tried to make sense of them, he heard Jen scream behind him. "Jen! What happened?"

"One of the symbols just _moved_!" Jen shouted, backing away in fear. "James, I think we have to get out of here!"

"Yeah, but which way is out?" James was starting to panic. First the floor dropped out from under them, then moving symbols, what next? As he tried to figure out a plan, he saw a dark shape move towards Jen.

"Hey! Get away from her!" Cyndaquil was off James' shoulder in an instant, and he launched a single fire bolt in Jen's general direction. Jen ducked, and the bolt made contact, knocking the shape backward. All around them, symbols were detaching from the walls and forming a ring around the youngster. Cyndaquil fired his Ember attack at the floating symbols, sending them backward and eventually dispersing them. As they faded into the darkness, James heard a voice calling from the far end of the hallway.

"Hey! Are you kids alright?" Two men were running down the hallway towards them. James recognized one of them as the tourist they had spoken to earlier. The other was a young-looking man in a lab coat, his face framed with concern.

"We're fine, now," Jen answered, getting up from the floor. The whole experience had scared her more than she was willing to admit. "How did you know we were down here?"

"We heard shouts from the first puzzle building. This hallway is the main part of the Ruins; the puzzle structure must be connected to this building."

"Yeah, we figured that out as well," James told him, wary of anything coming out of the darkness. "Thanks for coming to find us."

"Not a problem; it's part of our job to make sure exploration of the Ruins is safe for everyone. Why don't you come back to the research station so we can find out exactly what's happened here?"

"Sounds good. The sooner we get out of here, the happier I'll be." Jen's answer was enough for the researcher, and they followed him out of the building.

* * *

"So, you say the symbols moved when you landed in that hallway?" the researcher asked, writing down the relevant details on a notepad.

"Yes. We couldn't read them, but they seemed to form an alphabet of sorts," James answered. "Jen was the first to notice that they were moving, and then they started coming out of the walls."

"They didn't try to hurt us, though," Jen added, calmer now that they were out of danger. "They just formed a circle around us, and then Cyndaquil drove them off."

"I think you kids stumbled upon a big discovery without knowing it," the researcher told them. "I have reasons to believe that those ancient symbols are actually based off a very old Pokémon. Have you two ever heard of Unown?"

"Once." James said. "My grandfather used to be a fossil hunter, and he saw them in a cave while he was digging one time."

"Well, this Pokémon apparently comes in many forms, and I believe that they are the basis for our current writing system. But unless we capture one, we won't get any more data on them."

"We should've tried to scan one down there, Jen," James said, but knew this was simply an attempt to push aside their panic. At that point, the research building door opened, and another scientist poked his head inside.

"Uh, Tom, there's a couple of strangely-dressed men out here who say they want to talk to you."

"If you need to talk to them, we can go. Thanks for getting us out of that place," Jen said to Tom, who had begun moving papers around on the desk.

"Oh, not a problem at all. Have fun exploring the rest of the Ruins, and if you make anymore inadvertent discoveries, you know where I am."

"We will," James called back. As they left, they saw a group of men dressed exactly like the people they'd seen at the Pokémon Centre the night before. Each had the same desert camouflage trousers and black shirts, but one of them wore a grey jacket with a strange insignia on it. It looked like a bird's foot, but more angular and with three toes. The men disappeared inside, and the two youngsters moved to explore the rest of the Ruins.

* * *

The men in the strange uniforms were all over the place, examining every structure and noting certain areas. James was beginning to get suspicious, but held back from confronting any of them. Jen also kept her silence, preferring to explore the Ruins in peace. Eventually, though, James lost patience, and wanted to find out who these people actually were.

"Who are you guys, anyway? And what're you doing here?" he asked a nearby uniformed man. "Is there something here you're looking for?"

"It's none of your business who we are, kid," the man replied in a low, grunting voice. "We're just exploring the Ruins like you, that's all. Now get lost." James' temper spiked, but Jen put a calming hand on his shoulder.

"James, it's not worth it. Let's head back to the Pokémon Centre, we've seen just about everything we can here." Just as she said this, the three men from earlier exited the research building, and the man in the grey jacket called out to the others.

"Team Triassic, we have found what we're looking for! These Ruins are the first step in our plan to rearrange the world! There is enough ancient research to allow us to initiate the next step of our master plan! We will achieve our goal!" James couldn't believe what he'd just heard. Rearrange the world? Master plan? Clearly, this guy had to be stopped, and fast. He ran towards the man in the grey jacket, and pointed accusingly at him.

"You're insane! What do you think you're doing, trying to rearrange the world? And how are you going to do that, anyway?"

"Admin Cade, ignore this kid," the grunt James had spoken to earlier said. "He's just a troublemaker."

"No." Cade, the Admin's voice was condescending and arrogant. "I'll enlighten him about our mission. He is a mere child, and no threat to us."

"No threat, huh?" James challenged, but Cade ignored him and went on.

"Perhaps you know something of prehistoric Pokémon?" James nodded, and Cade smiled wickedly. "Good. They are the underpinnings of our entire operation. It is our mission to find a way to revert the world to how it was when prehistoric Pokémon still lived. These Ruins had information we needed; that is why we are here. Soon, we will change the world."

"You're not changing anything!" James shouted, and Cyndaquil squeaked at Cade in an obvious challenge. "I'll stop you myself if I have to!"

"Is that so? Then why not back up your words, kid? You can take on my Pokémon, and then consider whether you are strong enough to stop us."

"You're on! Cyndaquil, let's show this guy we mean business!" Cyndaquil ignited the flames on his back, ready to take on anything that came his way.

"A Fire-type, how underwhelming. Now, see what a _truly_ powerful Pokémon looks like! Kabutops, combat situation!" Cade's Pokéball snapped open, and the flash of light gave way to a bipedal Pokémon with brown armor and a head shaped like a wider version the horseshoe crab in the puzzle. Two sharp, curved blades extended from its arms, making it look even more fearsome. Jen gasped; this Pokémon didn't look like one to mess with. James, meanwhile, was taken by surprise.

"What is that?" He took out his Pokédex and aimed it at the dangerous-looking creature.

"_Kabutops, the Shellfish Pok__é__mon._" the machine recited. "_This prehistoric Pok__é__mon has only ever been found as a fossil. It is a very fast swimmer, and its claws are extremely sharp and dangerous._"

"So this thing's a fossil, huh? Makes sense, since it's probably too old and slow to beat us. Cyndaquil, let's take it down! Quick Attack!" Cyndaquil raced at Kabutops, but the attack didn't do anything significant. "Don't let up! Keep up the Quick Attack!" Cyndaquil kept hitting Kabutops, but the attacks had little effect.

"How predictable, a direct attacker. Not like I've battled any of those before. Kabutops, knock it away!" One swipe of Kabutops' bladed foreclaw sent Cyndaquil flying with little effort. Cyndaquil struggled to regain his feet, then squeaked angrily at the Shellfish Pokémon.

"Cyndaquil, don't give up! Ember!" The resultant flurry of fire bolts had about as much effect as the Quick Attack, and Kabutops just stared straight ahead, not even feeling the impacts.

"Dear, dear, you don't know Kabutops' type, do you, kid? It is a combination Rock- and Water-type, which means your Fire-type moves are utterly worthless. Use Aqua Jet!" Kabutops dove at Cyndaquil, its body surrounded by water. The super-effective move made contact, knocking the Fire Mouse to the ground. "Now, Slash!" Cyndaquil could barely move as Kabutops' sharp blades cut him again and again, and when the Rock- and Water-type jumped away, he lay unmoving, having been dealt heavy damage by the rapid attack.

"Cyndaquil, no!" James tried to run towards his friend, but Cyndaquil struggled to his feet and squeaked defiantly, refusing to let Kabutops beat him. "That's the spirit, buddy! Don't let that old fossil beat you!"

"Predictable enthusiasm and optimism. It's almost a shame to beat you this easily. But, it must be done. Mud Shot!" Kabutops fired a blob of mud that caught Cyndaquil square in the face, sending him flying into James' arms, beaten.

"No!" Jen cried, watching as James desperately checked his starter for injuries. "Cyndaquil, hold on!"

"It's over, Jen." James' voice shook with anger; Kabutops had utterly outclassed Cyndaquil, and left him wounded. "He beat us. He's won this round."

"Yes, I have. And we are done with this place. Team Triassic, move out!" The uniformed men formed a column behind their Admin and followed him out of the Ruins. James glared after them, a tear falling down his cheek.

"Something tells me we haven't seen the last of those guys." He looked down; Cyndaquil's breathing was shallow, and he had numerous cuts on his body from Kabutops' attack. "It happened so quickly, I didn't have time to react. I should never have challenged him, or his Kabutops. Now we've made ourselves an enemy."

"Don't worry about them right now. We have to get Cyndaquil to the Pokémon Centre, and fast. Forget that Kabutops."

"Okay," James answered, his voice breaking, and they hurried out of the Ruins towards the Union Cave Pokémon Centre to tend to his injured friend.

* * *

_CHAPTER 12 PREVIEW_

_ Jen: we're heading towards the Union Cave, but first we've got to take care of Cyndaquil! That Kabutops really hurt him badly! Then we can move into the cave and continue our journey! Next time, in Pok__é__mon Double-J Adventures: Union Blues! Everyone, get Pok__é__mon!_

* * *

**Okay, intermittent action there, but it's set up what I wanted set up. Cyndaquil's hurt, which isn't good, and the youngsters need to get him fixed up fast! No Hunter this time, but I couldn't think of a good way to bring him in. He'll show up again soon, though!**

** As is standard operating procedure, please read, REVIEW and let me know what you thought! Finals are over for the fall semester, so hopefully I'll have more time to write and update! Until then, **_**say**__**ō**__**nara**_**, and if I don't update before Christmas, **_**Frohe Weihnachten **_**(Merry Christmas in German)!**


	12. Union Blues

** Hey, folks! I'm back with another chapter of _Double-J Adventures_! This chapter is actually pretty short, but then again, it's the best I could think of for a transition from the madness of Chapter 11. This time, our friends head for the Union Cave after a pit-stop, and begin on the next leg of their journey! Sit back and enjoy the ride!**

** Disclaimer: I don't own Pokémon; Nintendo and Satoshi Tajiri do.**

* * *

** POKÉMON DOUBLE-J ADVENTURES**

** CHAPTER 12: UNION BLUES**

* * *

James looked through the transparent window to the treatment room in the Pokémon Centre, watching as Nurse Joy and her Chansey tended to Cyndaquil. Jen stood next to him, shifting her gaze between the Fire-type and his trainer, her face full of concern for both. Cyndaquil's injuries from his battle with Kabutops at the Ruins of Alph were bad, but she was worried about James; he had been visibly shaken by the defeat, and his strong bond with Cyndaquil had made it worse. She knew he needed to calm down before they did anything else, and she was willing to stay with him until he did.

Nurse Joy left the treatment room, the automatic door closing behind her as she did so. She walked over to the two youngsters and smiled warmly.

"You have nothing to worry about, James. Your Cyndaquil is going to be fine. However, since his injuries were fairly serious, I'm afraid he's going to have to stay in the treatment room overnight. Don't worry." she added as James looked even more concerned. "We'll monitor his condition the entire time, and he should be good as new in the morning. I'll check you both into a room so you can stay the night here."

"Thank you, Nurse Joy," James said gratefully. Nurse Joy bowed to them and walked towards the reception area. As she left, he turned to Jen. "So, what do you want to do?"

"Well, it's already late afternoon, and we've been through a lot today already. Let's just relax and get something to eat before we make any more plans."

"Alright, then. If you want to go look around the area, go ahead. I'm going to stay here and keep an eye on Cyndaquil."

"Okay. I'll meet you downstairs later." Jen walked away, leaving James to watch over his friend. James felt his fist clench as he watched the Fire-type sleep.

"I should never have sent you out there, buddy," he said to himself, bitterness infecting his voice. "I should have known about a Pokémon like Kabutops, and I should never have gotten involved. You got hurt, all because I couldn't just leave things as they were...but now, I promise, we're going to train hard and beat that Kabutops someday. We're going to become the most powerful Pokémon and trainer the world has ever seen! We'll never lose like that again!" Tears began to leak from his eyes, and he turned away, unable to look anymore, crushed by the fact that his impetuousness had gotten his friend hurt. Wiping his eyes, he headed for the reception area to inquire about their room so he could collapse for a while.

* * *

About an hour later, James met Jen in the basement cafeteria, and the pair sat down at a table in a less-trafficked corner. Jen was, by her own admission, burned out by the day's events, and attacked her food with vigour,. James, for his part, just stared at the table, his mind still on Cyndaquil. Jen sensed this and looked at him with concern.

"Still worried about Cyndaquil?" she asked, and James nodded sadly. "Don't worry, Nurse Joy will take good care of him. That's why she's here."

"I'm not worried about him being taken care of, Jen. I shouldn't have sent him out against that Kabutops. He was completely outmatched, and I feel really bad about it."

"Don't. You thought you were doing the right thing, and Cyndaquil was ready to go. You couldn't know that that guy would pull a move like that. So don't worry so much. You're Cyndaquil's trainer, and you're also his friend. Don't dwell on stuff like that, concentrate on the good things that happen." James looked at her, blinked, then a small smile crossed his face.

"You're right, Jen. I guess I've just been feeling sorry for myself, and I've let myself think I don't deserve to lose. We're just going to have to learn from our mistakes and move on, huh?"

"Exactly. You're not going to get everything right first time out, James, and neither am I. This is why we're going on this journey, to grow stronger with our Pokémon. You care a lot about Cyndaquil, and that's going to strengthen the bond you two share. We've only just begun, so let's make things better from now on, okay?"

"Okay," James answered, and they proceeded to finish their meals and head back to their room.

* * *

Before they went to bed that night, the two youngsters read over a map of the area and planned their next move.

"Alright, so the Union Cave is over here, not too far from the Pokémon Centre." James checked his Pokégear and marked the location, then turned back to the map. "Then, it'll probably take us most of the day to get through the cave, and we'll exit here, at Route 33."

"Okay, so once we get out of the cave, we should camp nearby, depending on how late it is, then make a push for Azalea." Jen folded the map and stowed it in her bag. "Before we leave, we should have Nurse Joy give our Pokémon a once-over just to be safe. You've got to collect Cyndaquil anyway, so it can't hurt for her to check the rest of them, right?"

"Right." James turned off his Pokégear and then jumped into the lower bunk in the room's bed; he had let Jen pick which half she wanted, and she'd elected to take the top half. The two youngsters wished each other a good night, then fell asleep, waiting for the next part of their adventure to begin.

* * *

The next morning, James was dressed and ready before Jen even woke up, so he hurried over to the treatment room to check on Cyndaquiil. The little Fire-type was asleep, so James pulled up a chair and sat down, waiting for Nurse Joy to come along and let his friend out. Eventually, she arrived and opened the treatment room, and came out with Cyndaquil right behind her.

"Cyndaquil is completely back to normal, James. We've run every test necessary, and he's good as new."

"Thank you so much, Nurse Joy." James smiled as he looked as his starter Pokémon, who jumped into his arms in response. "Oh, man, it's great to have you back, buddy!" Cyndaquil nuzzled his cheek affectionately; all was forgiven between trainer and Pokémon.

"It looks like Cyndaquil's happy to see you again." Jen had walked up behind him, and was smiling widely.

"Jen? How did you..?"

"I had a feeling you'd head straight here as soon as you got up. I know you, James, and I figured you were itching to see Cyndaquil again."

"Well, it's good to see that Cyndaquil's got such a caring trainer. I can tell you two share a very strong bond."

"We do." James answered, and Cyndaquil squeaked in agreement. "Actually, Nurse Joy, can you give our Pokémon a quick check-up before we go? We're heading to Union Cave next, and we want to make sure we're all set to head out."

"Absolutely. Just give me your Pokéballs and I'll check on them for you." James and Jen handed over their Pokémon, and Nurse Joy ran them through the scanner. "All set, you two. Be careful, Union Cave is a long cavern, and there are a lot of strong Pokémon in there."

"We will, Nurse Joy. Thanks again for all your help." With that, the two youngsters hurried back to their room to pack and get set to leave.

* * *

To James' relief, Union Cave was better-lit than Dark Cave, so his nerves were calmed; no grouchy Pokémon were going to jump out at him unexpectedly this time. Jen, for her part, thought the lighting was _too_ good, since to her, the darkness was part of the cave's thrill. But they were finally on the move again after their ill-fated trip to the Ruins, and neither could wait to get through to Azalea Town and the next Gym.

* * *

The trek through the cave proved as long as they had thought back at the Pokémon Centre. The ground was terribly uneven, and it was tough going. To make matters worse, wild Geodude and Onix kept charging after them, causing a few scares; they still didn't have any Pokémon that were strong against Rock-types, and Togepi's Metronome was too unreliable to use against them. At a junction in the path, the two youngsters stopped to rest and figure out how to progress further.

"Man, I didn't know traveling through a cave could be this difficult!" James panted, dropping down onto a nearby boulder. "When we said it would take a while, I didn't think it would be this bad."

"Well, we're about a third of the way through the cave. Let's stop here and regroup, then get moving as soon as we're ready."

"Well, well. Having trouble there, kids?" James jumped, startled by the sound, and looked for the source of the voice. The voice belonged to a gigantic Hiker who had walked over to them during their conversation, grinning through his beard. "It looks like you two don't have much experience traversing caves, am I right?"

"We haven't been through many caves to be honest, sir." Jen answered. "This is only our second time traveling through one, and the first time was just a quick exploration, if you know what I mean."

"I understand. I had a lot of trouble when I first started exploring caves, but I got used to it eventually. My name's Russell, by the way. Nice to meet you kids."

"Back at you." James told him. "I'm James, and this is my traveling partner Jen."

"Beginning trainers, huh? Well, everyone has to start somewhere, right? Hey, I've got an idea. While we're standing here doing nothing, how about a quick battle? You two look like you've got some potential; I'd love to take one of you on."

"Sounds like a plan. James, do you want to battle?"

"Actually, Jen, how about you go? I'm still recovering from that battle with Kabutops, and you haven't gotten to really battle anyone besides Falkner yet."

"Alright, then, I'll go, Russell. How many Pokémon should we use?"

"I'd say just one. It's not that big a space, and if we knock out too many of each other's Pokémon, we won't have any to use if something comes up later on."

"Okay, one Pokémon each it is. I'll use Togepi, she needs the battle experience." Jen tossed out a Pokémon, and the Spike Ball Pokémon emerged, squealing in delight at being picked to battle.

"A Togepi, huh? An unusual choice. Alright, go Pokéball!" A Geodude popped out, clenching its fists in anticipation of the coming fight.

"Oh, boy, this could be trouble," James muttered under his breath. "Unless Jen's planning to use Metronome until the right move comes up, Togepi doesn't have any moves that can stop a Rock-type."

"Alright, Jen, ladies first!" Russell called, indicating that Jen should take initiative.

"Gotcha! Togepi, use Charm!" Togepi smiled widely at Geodude, trying to put it off its game. Geodude ignored the look, and simply stood waiting for orders.

"Alright, Geodude, Tackle!" Geodude crashed into Togepi, who fell backward and skipped away, still as happy as ever. "Now, Defense Curl!"

"Togepi, Charm again! Keep going!" In response, Togepi tried the move, and then her body shone with a blue glow. A small ring of blue light surrounded her, then dissipated. "Wait, is that a new move?"

"It sure is. That's Safeguard, it'll protect your Pokémon from any status effects. Not that we're in a position to inflict any. Now, Geodude, use Rollout!"

"Togepi, Metronome!" Jen didn't care that Metronome was random, nor that it wasn't very reliable. She just needed to blunt the Defense Curl-augmented attack. Togepi waved her finger back and forth, then unleashed a thunderous squeal that shook the cavern. "Wait, Hyper Voice? That's the move it picked?"

"Seems like it worked, Jen!" James watched as Geodude was thrown back by the shockwave, then rolled hard into a nearby stalagmite. The impact along with the attack was enough to knock Geodude out.

"Well, look at that. Geodude's finished. Wow." Russell couldn't believe the ease with which he had lost, then he let out a booming laugh. "Hahaha! I'll tell you, I haven't battled someone like you in a long time. You've got talent, kid, and a lot of it."

"Thanks, Russell." Jen answered as she recalled Togepi. "Way to go, Togepi, you really battled well."

"Way to go, Jen." James said as he walked over. "I would try to figure out a different way of winning, though. One of these days Metronome is going to go wrong, and I don't want to see you lose because of that."

"Aw, cut her some slack, kiddo. She's got her own way of battling, just like you've got yours and I've got mine. If she wants to keep things exciting like that, let her. It's all part of growing as a trainer."

"Good advice, Russell. Could you advise us as to how to get out of this cave? We're headed for Azalea Town, and we don't know how to get through here."

"Of course! Here, I'll give you one of my maps of the cave. It's got the best trails marked, so you should be able to get out of here quickly."

"Thanks a lot, Russell. Good luck with your hiking."

"And good luck with your training. I get the feeling you two are going to be really great trainers someday."

"You're a good guy, Russell. See you around." With that, the two youngsters chose a path and hurried down it, waving goodbye to their new Hiker friend as they left.

* * *

_CHAPTER 13 PREVIEW_

_ James: Alright, we're finally out of the cave and we're headed for Azalea Town! Wait a second, why is it raining so hard out here? This isn't funny, we could really get soaked out here! *Cyndaquil!* Next time, in Pokémon Double-J Adventures: Into the Rainstorm! Everyone, get Pokémon!_

* * *

**Alright, that's over. I haven't updated this since before Christmas, and I've been meaning to get this going sooner than later **_**(it is a planned five-parter, after all)**_**. All I can really say is please read, **_**REVIEW**_**, and tell me how it was! Until next time, **_**sayōnara**_**, **_**auf Wiedersehen**_**, farewell!**


	13. Into the Rainstorm

** Hey folks, I'm back! Did you miss me (please tell me you did)? My junior year of college is over, so here's Chapter 13 of Double-J Adventures, where our friends continue their trek through the Union Cave and move on to Azalea Town. Here we go!**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Pokémon; Nintendo and Satoshi Tajiri do.**

* * *

**POKÉMON DOUBLE-J ADVENTURES**

**CHAPTER 13: INTO THE RAINSTORM**

* * *

The rest of the trip through Union Cave took several more hours, even with Russell's map. Parts of the trail were a bit darker than others, meaning that Cyndaquil and Magby had to light the way for them. Eventually, they reached the other end of the cave, and they stopped to rest before exiting.

"Man, that took forever!" Jen had found a boulder to use as a temporary chair, and had recalled Magby. "I'm glad we had Russell's map to guide us, otherwise we'd still be wandering around back there."

"You said it. I wonder what time it is now; it must be nearly night." James checked his Pokégear and started: it was nearly six in the evening, the trek through the cave had taken hours! "Alright, it's early evening now, so we should find a place to camp out until tomorrow. We can move on to Azalea Town in the morning. So let's go!" Without a second thought, James had bolted from the cave, and reappeared almost as quickly.

"What's wrong?" Jen asked, looking at James and recognizing that he was now soaking wet. "And why are your clothes wet?"

"It's raining out there. Hard." James shook the water from his hair like a wet Growlithe and laughed slightly. "It doesn't look like it's gonna stop, either. I did see a decent spot to put up our tent, so we should head there and then camp for the night. Should we risk it?"

"Definitely. Beats sleeping in a cave all night." Jen picked her bag up off the floor, and James recalled Cyndaquil to keep him from getting soaked as well. After they each pulled on a sweatshirt to keep relatively dry, the pair hurried out of the cave, being careful not to trip on any stray boulders along the way. The spot James had found wasn't too far from the cave, and they reached it quickly, breaking out the tent almost as soon as they got there.

"Alright, why don't we set this thing up, then eat whatever we have packed inside? That way we can hang out in here until we finally go to sleep."

"Sounds like a plan," Jen answered, and they got to work.

* * *

Half an hour later, after much frustration and a fiercely thrown rock from James, they got the tent set up. They didn't stop to admire their handiwork, throwing their packs inside and scrambling out of the rain. Jen pulled out the sandwiches they'd brought from the Pokémon Centre, and they ate in near silence, listening to the rain pounding the tent. They'd also broken out a canister of Pokémon food that Jen had brought, and each Pokémon took turns to receive their share. After they'd finished, Jen broke the silence.

"So, when we get to Azalea, who's battling first?"

"Definitely you, Jen. I got to go first last time, so it's only fair that you get the first crack at the Gym Leader."

"Alright. That means I've got to come up with a strategy, and with the Pokémon I've got that might not be easy."

"You did fine against Falkner."

"Yeah, but that was really difficult too. I had time to prepare, but my Pokémon weren't as heavily trained as yours, and it took a lucky shot—don't look at me like that, it was a lucky shot—to take out a really powerful Pokémon. This battle isn't going to be easy at all."

"But then, what Gym battle is? That's their job, right? To test a trainer's abilities to the absolute limit. If it were easy, then we wouldn't have to train so hard."

"I guess..."

"Trust me, Jen, you're going to do fine. Your Pokémon really trust you, and they'll come good. Just keep your confidence up and you'll win, no problems."

"You know what, James, you're right. It's funny, didn't I tell you the same thing yesterday?"

"You did. I thought it would help for you to take your own advice."

"You're a good friend, James. I'm glad our parents made us travel together, otherwise I'd be stuck back in Violet." James grinned, and Jen gave him a playful shove before diving into her sleeping bag. James followed her lead and did the same after he'd shut the tent's entrance flap, while Cyndaquil leaped on top of him as soon as he'd zipped his own sleeping bag shut. After a quick 'goodnight', they both drifted off to sleep.

* * *

Before they knew it, the pair were awake and listening to the still-steady rain outside. James shook his head in annoyance, and after a hurried breakfast they took down the tent and started again towards Azalea. While steady, the rain was lighter than the night before, so they didn't get too wet. Eager to escape the drizzle, they moved as quickly as they could, sparing little time for any wild Pokémon on the route. As they turned a corner they spotted a sign that read _Route 33_ and pointed out two landmarks: Azalea Town was due west, while Union Cave was to the east. Just as they'd reached the sign, the rain stopped altogether. They hurried past the sign and saw a fork in the road. One path led to what looked like an old well, and the other to the town itself.

"So, should we head right into town, or check out this well?"

"I say look at the well. The town's right there, so we can go in there as soon as we've checked this place out."

"Sounds fine to me." James released Cyndaquil, who'd been stuck in his Pokéball because of the rain, and the Fire Mouse let out an indignant squeak. "Hey, it was either stuck in your Pokéball or get soaked, buddy. I figured water isn't your thing." Cyndaquil squeaked again, then hopped onto James' shoulder. The two youngsters headed over to the well and peered inside.

"There's a ladder here, but it's really old-looking. Should we chance it?" Jen was looking apprehensively at the rickety wooden ladder leading to the bottom of the well.

"Why not?" Before James could take another step, though, they heard a voice shouting at them.

"STOP! Don't go down there!" An old man with gray hair and wearing a teal kimono was running towards them. He stopped and caught his breath before speaking again. "That ladder's not safe, it's much too old and unstable for use. I don't think anyone's been down there in years."

"Oh, we're sorry, sir." Jen answered, looking sheepish. "We didn't know it was dangerous, we just arrived here."

"Out-of-towners, eh? Which town are you kids from?"

"We're from Violet City. We came to Azalea to challenge the Gym Leader here."

"Trainers! Well, now I'm not so surprised you tried to go down there. Such boldness is admirable, but it's important to stay safe as well."

"That's true. Who are you, anyway? Are you like a guard or something?"

"Oh, no, I just try to make sure newcomers don't get hurt down there. My name is Kurt, and I use Apricorns to make special Pokéballs. Why don't you kids follow me into town? I can introduce you to our Gym Leader, Bugsy."

"We'd really appreciate that, thank you, Kurt." Jen followed the old man into town, and James followed quickly, ready to meet the Gym Leader.

* * *

Azalea Town was much smaller and simpler than Violet, with wooden houses amid the more modern buildings like the Pokémon Centre. Inside the Centre, trainers and residents alike were going about their business. A young man with purple hair stood near the counter, a long-handled net in his hand. Kurt led them over to him and introduced him as the Azalea Town Gym Leader.

"Hey, it's good to meet new challengers! My name's Bugsy, and as Kurt told you, I'm the Leader of the Azalea Gym. You can also probably guess that I specialize in Bug-type Pokémon. What are your names?"

"My name's Jennifer, and this is my friend James. We came from Violet City to challenge the Gym here."

"Wow, you came all the way here from Violet? That's a bit of a hike, but it sounds like it was fun too."

"It was. We're looking to go all the way to the Silver Conference tournament."

"Well, my Gym is the second stop on the route there. Now, there are two of you, so who's going to challenge me first?"

"I will." Jen answered. "But can we have the first challenge tomorrow? I think it would be better for us to get used to the city and maybe train a bit before we go at it."

"Tomorrow sounds fine. I'll see you both then."

* * *

_CHAPTER 14 PREVIEW_

_ Jen: Let's go, guys! Our second Gym battle is here, and we're going to win that badge no matter what! We can beat these bugs, no problem! Next time, in Pok__é__mon Double-J Adventures: The Bug and the Breeder! Everybody, get Pok__é__mon!_

* * *

**So...a bit short, but then the last one was too. We'll see Jen's Gym battle with Bugsy next chapter, so there's that to look forward to. Please do read, REVIEW, and anything else that you guys want to do. Hopefully I'll get these out more regularly now that I'm done with college until September, so until then, **_**auf Wiedersehen**_**!**


	14. The Bug and the Breeder

** Greetings, friends! Here, in record time I might add (well, not _record_ time, but you get my point) is Chapter 14. Today, Jen goes into battle for her second Gym badge. How's it going to go? Read on and you'll find out!**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Pokémon; Nintendo and Satoshi Tajiri do.**

* * *

**POKÉMON DOUBLE-J ADVENTURES**

**CHAPTER 14: THE BUG AND THE BREEDER**

* * *

The whole rest of the day was spent training; Jen worked with James to get her Pokémon ready for the big Gym match. In particular, Magby worked hard on her Fire Punch, since Jen knew that it would have a strong effect against Bug-types. Zubat and Togepi were also looking strong, and the training session was their best yet.

"So, Jen, any ideas for a strategy?" James had just recalled Geodude and Pidgey, who had been training alongside Jen's Pokémon, and had sat down on a bench outside the Pokémon Centre.

"Not really, but I'm hoping to not have to rely too much on Magby's Fire Punch. The trick is to be unpredictable, after all."

"True. I guess having a powerful Fire-type move is useful, but then isn't Zubat also really good, since it's a Flying-type?"

"Exactly. The fact that Bug-types won't do much against a combination Poison- and Flying-type means that Zubat can take some of the pressure off of Magby. The one problem I see is with Togepi; she isn't exactly the best attacker, which means if Zubat _and_ Magby go down, I'm in big trouble."

"Don't worry about that. She pulled you a winner last time, right?"

"Yeah, but relying on Metronome is worse than relying on Fire Punch. At least with Fire Punch, it's consistent. Metronome's too unpredictable to trust in this big a match."

"Relax, I was just trying to help. Just make sure you keep your concentration during the match; Bug-types tend to be tricky to deal with."

"I'll do that. Thanks, James." After this exchange, the two youngsters headed inside to eat and rest before the next day's battle.

* * *

Inside the glass dome of the Azalea Gym, the scenery resembled a miniature forest, with large trees all around the battlefield. It made sense; just as Falkner's Gym was themed around Flying-types, Bugsy's Gym was somewhere a Bug-type specialist would feel most at home. Jen was standing in the technical area closer to the door, while Bugsy was at the other end of the field, ready to face his challenger. James was in the stands, Cyndaquil at his side, watching intently.

"I've been looking forward to this battle. Are you ready?"

"Of course!" Jen took out one of her Pokéballs and held it up. "We're going to win this match and take our second Gym Badge! No way we're losing!"

"You're confident, all right; that's good. But don't think I'm giving up that badge easily!"

"I wouldn't want you to!" A young man in beige shorts stepped up to the judge's platform, and began to address the small gathered crowd.

"This Azalea Town Gym Battle between Jennifer the challenger, from Violet City, and Bugsy, the Azalea Town Gym Leader, is about to begin! The prize will be a Hive Badge! Each trainer may use three Pokémon, and the battle will be over when all three on either side are unable to continue! In addition, only the challenger is allowed to make substitutions during battle! Begin when ready!"

"Alright, Jennifer, it's time to get going. Here's my opening Pokémon! I choose Spinarak!" Bugsy's Pokéball opened, releasing a bright green, spider-like Pokémon. Its legs had dark stripes around the middle, and there were strange black markings on its back. Jen took out her Pokédex to scan the Bug-type.

"_Spinarak, the String Spit Pokémon. Its web is made of a very fine thread, and it can wait in __this web for days when attempting to catch prey._" Jen stowed the Pokédex and hoped that the web didn't cause problems later.

"Okay, here's my Pokémon! Zubat, get out there!" The purple Bat Pokémon emerged, chittering as it flew high above the battlefield, ready for battle.

"Battle begin!" the judge cried out, and the match started.

* * *

"Alright, Zubat, dive and use Supersonic!" Zubat flew towards Spinarak and unleashed the high-frequency screech, trying to confuse its opponent. Unfortunately, Spinarak looked completely unaffected.

"Spinarak, use String Shot!" Spinarak let fly with a thin white string from its mouth, snaring Zubat as it began its flight out of reach. "Now, Scary Face!" The markings on Spinarak's back flashed quickly, then contorted into what looked like an angry stare.

"What's going on?!" Jen couldn't believe what was going on; Zubat should've been able to escape before Spinarak even got an attack away.

"Zubat is a very fast Pokémon, and its type combination makes it hard for Spinarak to deal with it. The combination of String Shot and Scary Face will deal with our speed problem."

"Well, deal with this! Use Bite, Zubat!" The Bat Pokémon managed to deal Spinarak a swift nip with its sharp fangs, and flew out of reach. "Now, try Supersonic, once more!" Zubat unleashed another sonic blast, but it was no use. Spinarak just wouldn't succumb.

"Now, Spinarak, Night Shade!" Spinarak fired a pair of black-red light beams that caught Zubat in mid-flight, faltering as the move hit. "Now, Spider Web!" The String Spit Pokémon fired what looked like multiple String Shot attacks, but they formed into what looked like a web and snared Zubat before it could escape.

"What's that?" Jen shouted, watching Zubat struggle to free itself.

"Spider Web will prevent you from making any substitutions by ensnaring your Pokémon and blocking its escape route. Now, you're stuck using Zubat until it faints or if you beat Spinarak. Looks like your type advantage isn't as strong as before."

* * *

James stared as Zubat fought to escape its prison. Cyndaquil sat near the railing at the edge of the stands, straining to see the action. Jen was in a tight spot, and James was worried. She had to hope that one of Zubat's moves could knock Spinarak out, or it would be tough to come back.

* * *

"You see, they don't call me the Walking Bug Pokémon Encyclopædia for nothing." Bugsy continued, watching Spinarak move into position. "We've trained extensively against opponents with an advantage, and that way we're prepared when trainers bring in Pokémon like Zubat. Spinarak isn't so easy to knock down."

"Well, we're not that easy to beat either! Zubat, use Air Cutter!" The current of air slashed at Spinarak and knocked it back, while Zubat flew out of reach again. "Now, dive and use Bite!" Spinarak shied away as Zubat snapped its jaws onto its leg. "Finish it up with Air Cutter!"

"Not so fast! Use Night Shade!" The black beams met the Air Cutter in mid-flight, but the Flying-type move sliced through the Ghost-type attack and slammed into Spinarak, finally finishing it off. As Spinarak lay dazed on the floor, the Spider Web faded away, freeing Jen to make substitutions once more.

"Spinarak is unable to battle! Zubat wins!" Bugsy recalled Spinarak and smiled as he looked at the Pokéball.

"Way to tough it out, Spinarak. Get some rest." He took out another Pokéball and tossed it out. "I choose Ledyba!" This time, a red Pokémon with black spots on its back emerged, and its six legs had white tips that looked like closed fists. Jen decided she'd scan this one too.

"_Ledyba, the Five Star Pokémon. It is extremely timid on its own, but becomes extremely active __when in a group._"

"This Ledyba doesn't look timid at all." Jen remarked, watching the Bug-type jump around eagerly, ready for battle. "Okay, Zubat, take a break!" She recalled the Bat Pokémon and then threw another Pokéball out. "Togepi, let's go!" Togepi emerged, squealing happily as she landed.

"What?" James jumped up from his seat in surprise. "She's using Togepi already? Unless she's hoping to bet on Metronome, she's made a big mistake!"

* * *

"Okay, Togepi, use Charm!" Togepi's disarming smile caused Ledyba to slow its frenetic activity a little. "Now, Safeguard!" A shimmering veil surrounded Togepi before it faded, protecting the Spike Ball Pokémon from any status effects.

"Ledyba, Comet Punch!" Ledyba raced at Togepi, then unleashed a barrage of quick jabs. Togepi squealed in pain before skipping away.

"Togepi, don't give up! Try a Metronome!" Jen hoped the move would give her a strong attack, but she was disappointed to see just a Growl attack used. Of course, the Growl had little discernable effect, leaving Togepi open to attack.

"Ledyba, Mach Punch!" Ledyba's fists glowed white, and it rushed at Togepi, dealing it a powerful blow that sent the Spike Ball Pokémon hurtling towards Jen's technical area.

"Togepi, no!" Jen moved to catch her Pokémon, who already showed the dazed look signaling a knockout. "Togepi..."

"Togepi is unable to battle! Ledyba is the winner!"

* * *

"I knew this would happen," James muttered angrily, watching Jen reassure her Pokémon. "Togepi just isn't cut out for this. Her Metronome may be useful on occasion, but it's not something you trust in this situation." Cyndaquil squeaked in annoyance, and they settled down to see the rest of the match.

* * *

"Since when does a Bug-type know such a strong move?" Jen was shocked, and she needed to compose herself before continuing. She breathed slowly as she took out her last Pokéball, and hoped she could keep this match going. "Okay, Magby, here we go!" Magby landed on the battlefield, ready for action.

"Stay strong, Ledyba!" Bugsy knew that a Fire-type was bad news, but like against Zubat, he'd trained for moments like this. Many trainers came in with Fire-types, thinking it would be an easy victory, but he always tried to prove them wrong. "Don't think a Fire Pokémon will make this any easier! We know how to win against them!"

"Then let's see how you handle this! Magby, Fire Punch!" Magby's fist caught fire, and she swung hard at Ledyba, who instinctively jumped out of the way. "Quick, after it! Fire Punch again!"

"Dodge, Ledyba! Then use Mach Punch!" Ledyba jumped out of the way, then hit Magby with its fists, moving faster than Jen thought possible. "Keep up that Mach Punch, Ledyba!" The punches continued, with Magby trying hard to get out of the way.

"Smog, Magby, now!" The close-range gray smoke hit its mark, causing Ledyba to slow its attacks, while violet sparks crackled across its body.

"Ledyba, get out of there!" Bugsy shouted, knowing that his Pokémon had just been poisoned. The damage would accumulate until it was knocked out, so he had to try and put Magby out quickly. "Mach Punch, now!" Ledyba charged again, hitting its target before shivering in pain as the poison went to work. Jen saw that Magby had taken quite a bit of damage, and so she recalled her for the time being.

"Take a break, Magby. You'll need your strength." She took out Zubat's Pokéball and threw it, hoping the Poison-type could win this one for her. "Zubat, get ready! We've got to deal with Ledyba now!"

"We're not going down easily! Comet Punch!" Ledyba jumped up, but missed by an inch; Zubat was just too quick. It was the opening Jen was looking for.

"Quickly! Air Cutter!" Ledyba was thrown hard to the floor as the move hit, and the poison sparks appeared once again. The Five Star Pokémon shivered again, fell to the floor, and didn't move.

"No! Ledyba, get up!" It was no use; Ledyba was beaten at last.

"Ledyba is unable to battle! Zubat is the winner!"

"Way to go, Zubat!" Jen called as Zubat chittered triumphantly. Bugsy smiled as he recalled Ledyba; this battle wasn't going his way, but going up against a strong competitor made up for it. He took out his last Pokéball and looked over at Jen.

"Jennifer, this is my last Pokémon. It's also my most powerful, so I suggest you be ready."

"We're ready for anything, Bugsy! That Hive Badge is as good as mine!"

"I like your confidence. But we're just as confident! Here we go!" He threw the Pokéball. "I choose Scyther!" The Pokémon that emerged was green in color, with wickedly curved blades on the end of each forearm. Its wings were white and set back from the rest of its body, while its feet had three claws on the end. James, in the stands, took out his Pokédex to scan it.

"_Scyther, the Mantis Pokémon. It is a very strong flyer, and its bladed arms are extremely sharp and dangerous._"

"So that's a Scyther." he muttered, putting his Pokédex down. Jen watched the powerful Bug-type carefully, knowing it would likely be strong in the air, causing problems for Zubat.

"Zubat, don't give in! Use Air Cutter!"

"Scyther, Swords Dance!" Scyther began spinning like a top, and the blades on its arms flashed briefly. "Now, Fury Cutter!" The blades glowed red, and Scyther slashed at Zubat, hitting hard and fast.

"Zubat, keep going! Air Cutter, once more!" Zubat launched another sharp air current, but Scyther had already disappeared.

"Double Team!" Now multiple Scyther surrounded Zubat, causing the Bat Pokémon to flit around, unable to discern which was the real one.

"Supersonic, Zubat!" Again Zubat let loose the confusion-inducing soundwaves, and again nothing happened. "Man, it's just not our day with Supersonic, is it?"

"Now Scyther! Fury Cutter again!" Scyther hit Zubat again, the attack apparently stronger than before. "You see, Fury Cutter will get stronger every time it's used, making Scyther more powerful the more it attacks with this move."

"Well, you won't get another move in! Zubat, Bite attack!" Zubat flew at what it thought was the real Scyther, but missed, and the Mantis Pokémon moved in behind it.

"Finish it off! Fury Cutter!" This hit was the final blow, knocking Zubat out of the air and out of the match.

"Zubat is unable to battle! Scyther wins!" Jen recalled Zubat and smiled sadly.

"Way to go, Zubat. Get some rest." She took out Magby's Pokéball once more and closed her eyes, hoping that Magby could go the distance. "Magby, let's go! Time to win this!" Magby appeared one final time, ready for battle.

"Okay, Jennifer, it's the final battle! Show me what you've got!"

"Magby, Fire Punch, quick!" Magby's fist blazed as it swung at Scyther, who ducked the blow and zipped around to the side, trying to avoid the super-effective move.

"Quick, Scyther, hit it with Fury Cutter!" Scyther was hoping to hit side-on, but Magby anticipated the move and turned to face her opponent.

"Fire Punch, again!" The moves collided, causing a small explosion. Scyther looked shaken, but the move hadn't done too much damage.

"Slash attack!" This time, Scyther's blades glowed white, and it swung wildly at Magby, who dodged most of the blows.

"Smog attack!" Scyther couldn't get out of the way of the gray smoke cloud, but no poison affected it. "Now, Fire Punch!"

"Fury Cutter, quick!" Once again, the moves collided, and again Scyther was knocked back, its moves not overcoming the blazing punches despite its increased attack power. "Now, Slash!"

"Fire Punch, one more time!" Magby dodged the wildly swinging blades and dealt Scyther a fierce uppercut to the chin, sending it crashing to the Gym floor. It got up, though, and looked ready for one more round.

"That's it, Scyther! Fury Cutter!"

"SmokeScreen, Magby!" Just as the glowing red blades were about to hit, Magby exhaled a huge amount of black smoke, hiding it from view.

"Scyther, Swords Dance!" Bugsy hoped the rapid rotation of the move would clear the smoke, and Scyther's attacks would be even more powerful. He didn't realize that Magby had moved into position quickly despite its fatigue.

"Finish this with Fire Punch!" Jen cried, pointing at the defenseless Scyther. Magby's fist blazed again, and it punched Scyther hard in the back. Scyther pitched forward after this hit, beaten at last.

"Scyther is unable to battle! Magby wins! The victor is Jennifer from Violet City!"

* * *

"You did it, Magby!" Jen hugged her first Pokémon tightly, noting the smoke that was pouring from her mouth. "We've won our second badge, and you helped so much! Awesome job!" She recalled the Live Coal Pokémon and looked at Bugsy, who was consoling his beaten Scyther.

"Don't worry about it, old friend. You really fought hard, and against an opponent with a type advantage, no less. Take a good rest." The Gym Leader turned to Jen. "That was a terrific battle, Jennifer."

"Thanks, Bugsy! We learned a lot from that match, and we especially learned not to take type advantages for granted."

"Well, that's our job as Gym Leaders, I suppose. Here." He reached into his pocket and took out a round badge that looked like the back of Ledyba's shell. "This is your proof of victory at the Azalea Gym, the Hive Badge." Jen took the badge and shook Bugsy's hand, then turned to where James had appeared.

"So James, I've got my second badge. I guess it's your turn tomorrow, huh?"

"Yeah," James looked at Bugsy and nodded, knowing he'd find it no easier than Jen had. Cyndaquil squeaked in agreement, and Bugsy smiled.

"Another Fire-type? Well, know that I won't go easy on you."

"I wouldn't want you to." Both trainers and the Gym Leader laughed, and the challenge for the next day was set.

* * *

_CHAPTER 14 PREVIEW:_

_ James: Here we go! It's my turn to win that Hive Badge, and my Pokémon are ready for battle! There's no way we're going to lose this one! Next time, in Pokémon Double-J Adventures: Scyther VS Cyndaquil! Everybody, get Pokémon!_

* * *

**Alright, there it is! Jen has locked up Badge #2, and next time is James' turn! Let's just say the next match will be...interesting. That's all the hints I'm giving!**

** As is standard operating procedure, please read and REVIEW, and tell me how it is! Until next time, **_**sayōnara**_**, folks!**


	15. Scyther VS Cyndaquil

** Hey, folks! Chapter 15 has come (with little fanfare, admittedly), and with it comes James' battle with Bugsy! Can he overcome a certain dangerous Bug-type and win himself a Hive Badge? Read on to find out!**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Pokémon; Nintendo and Satoshi Tajiri do.**

* * *

**POKÉMON DOUBLE-J ADVENTURES**

**CHAPTER 15-SCYTHER VS CYNDAQUIL**

* * *

That evening, James sat in the pair's room at the Pokémon Centre, trying to figure out how he was going to battle the next day. He knew he really had to go with the same lineup as he did against Falkner, since Gastly wasn't battle-ready yet, but he was at a loss when it came to how he would stop Bugsy's Scyther. It was much faster than any of his own Pokémon, and likely even faster than Falkner's Pidgeotto, which would make it hard to even get a hit in.

He looked at Cyndaquil, who was napping on the floor near the foot of the bed, and smiled. The echidna had been training hard since they got back, and Pidgey had provided the high-speed target they needed to practice with. But even Pidgey, who was definitely the fastest Pokémon he had, wasn't at the level that Scyther was, and that was going to be a problem.

Jen walked in and shut the door, putting her Pokéballs on the nightstand as she reached the bed.

"So, got a battle strategy yet?" she asked, sitting next to James on the lower bunk.

"No, and that's the problem. I don't know how we're going to overcome Scyther's speed. I'd use Gastly to add some unpredictability, but I don't think it's ready for this kind of battle just yet."

"Well, just stick with what you know, then. You've got three Pokémon with a big advantage against Bug-types, so use that. Play to your strengths, not his."

"Yeah, but still, that speed's going to be trouble."

"Then hit him hard right off the bat. Don't worry about any intricate tactics, just get up in his face and knock him down. That'll show him you mean business."

"I guess you're right."

"Have I been wrong before?"

* * *

Morning came more quickly than either youngster thought possible. James stood in the challenger's box with Cyndaquil at his side, ready to take his shot at Bugsy. The Gym Leader was ready for his young opponent, and Jen watched them intently, wondering how James would hold up.

"Attention please! This Azalea Gym Battle between James the challenger and Bugsy the Gym Leader is about to begin! Each trainer may use three Pokémon, and the match is over when all three of one trainer's Pokémon are unable to battle! Only the challenger is permitted to substitute! Trainers ready?"

"Yeah!" James called, and he turned to Bugsy. "You ready to kick this off?"

"Of course. If you're as talented a trainer as your friend, this should be a terrific match."

"Alright, battle begin!" the judge called, and Bugsy threw out his first Pokéball.

* * *

"Let's start, then! I choose Scyther!" The powerful Mantis Pokémon burst from the ball, crossing its bladed arms in challenge.

"What?! Why're you starting with Scyther?"

"You've seen my Pokémon lineup already, so I decided to change up the order I sent them out. You wouldn't want me to be predictable, would you?"

"Of course not! Alright, Pidgey, let's rock and roll!" The brown-feathered Tiny Bird flew a few yards above the battlefield, looking at Scyther with her usual disdainful stare. Scyther simply pointed a blade at her, and she trilled back with her own challenge. "Okay, Pidgey, Quick Attack!"

"Scyther, Fury Cutter!" Pidgey was racing straight for the Bug-type, but Scyther ducked the attack and caught her in passing with a red-glowing blade. The Flying-type crashed into the ground; the attack had caught both trainer and Pokémon off-guard.

"Pidgey, you've gotta get up, quick!" James was shocked at how fast Scyther was; he'd never seen any Pokémon with that kind of speed. But he wasn't about to let that stop him. "Wing Attack, Pidgey!"

"Swords Dance!" Scyther began to spin like a top, and Pidgey's attack was blocked easily. "Now, Slash attack!" Pidgey crash-landed again after the fierce hit, but got up despite the damage.

"That's it, Pidgey! Try a Gust attack!" The resulting tornado caught Scyther in its vortex, but didn't seem to do much.

"Swords Dance again!" Scyther's spin blew away the Gust attack, leaving Pidgey vulnerable. "Now, Slash again!" Once again, Pidgey hit the ground, but this time she didn't get up again.

"Pidgey is unable to battle! Scyther wins!"

* * *

"What? How...?" James couldn't believe it. Pidgey's type advantage had counted for nothing! "How'd you knock us out so quickly?"

"Simple. Swords Dance greatly increases Scyther's attack power, and since Slash is so powerful to begin with, it only takes a small increase in strength to make it almost unstoppable."

"No way!" James recalled Pidgey, who was looking at him apologetically. "It's not your fault, Pidgey. You were terrific, so take a long rest. We'll handle this guy." Biting back a wave of anger, he turned to Cyndaquil. "Ready to go, buddy?" Cyndaquil squeaked an affirmative, and jumped out onto the battlefield and ignited the flame on its back.

"Fire-type? No problem for Scyther. Ready for round two?"

"You bet! Ember, now!" Cyndaquil's fire bolts crashed into Scyther, but it didn't seem to feel the hits.

"Slash it, Scyther!" Scyther raced at Cyndaquil, but James had other ideas.

"Use Quick Attack and dodge!" The Fire Mouse Pokémon avoided the strike, and rushed up behind the powerful mantis. "Now, Ember!" This time, the super-effective move hit home, and Scyther shied away from the flames. "Don't let it get away! Ember again!"

"Quick, Fury Cutter! Get out of there!" Scyther's attack distracted Cyndaquil enough to allow the mantis to escape, and it crossed its blades as it turned to face its opponent again.

"Don't let up! Ember!" More fire bolts, another dodge from the opponent. The two continued this for some time, with Cyndaquil trying in vain to catch Scyther off-guard. Despite the Fire-type 's obvious advantage, Scyther was moving too fast to have much of an effect. "Quick Attack, full tilt!" As Cyndaquil charged forward, James noticed an orange tinge to the move's visible trail, which turned into a blaze of flames that surrounded the echidna. "Wait, what's that?"

"Flame Wheel!" Jen shouted from the stands. "It's a really powerful move, so use it to take Scyther down!"

"You've got it! Cyndaquil, hit it!" The move hit hard, and Scyther dropped to one knee as Cyndaquil rebounded and landed a few yards away.

"Unbelievable! A new move in the middle of a match...but we've got a move they haven't seen either! Scyther, use X-Scissor now!" Scyther crossed its blades, which turned a harsh blue-white, and raced for Cyndaquil, the blades forming a shape not dissimilar to a pair of scissors.

"Uh-oh." James watched Scyther's charge, then composed himself. "Cyndaquil, Flame Wheel again!" Cyndaquil was surrounded by flame as it met the attack head-on. Both moves collided and created a cloud of smoke that covered the whole battlefield. As it cleared, both Pokémon were still standing, but Cyndaquil looked very much the worse for wear.

"Impressive. Your Cyndaquil is resilient, if nothing else."

"B-but...that should've finished Scyther! How's it still standing?"

"Months of hard training, my friend. Scyther could take a dozen Flame Wheels and still keep fighting. I should've mentioned this earlier, but Scyther has had more experience battling Fire-types than any other, and has become surprisingly resiliant against their moves. With that in mind, I'd say you've got a ways to go in this match." James held back his retort, and instead signalled for Cyndaquil to come back.

* * *

"Take a break, Cyndaquil. I'll let the third member of our team take care of this. Geodude, you're up!" The Rock Pokémon crossed his arms in his serene way, and Scyther eyed it warily.

"A Geodude? A Rock-type's a good choice in this Gym. But it won't help! Scyther, use X-Scissor!"

"Defense Curl, then Rollout!" Geodude curled into a ball and bounced hard off the grass floor, crashing hard into Scyther's attack. The move appeared to work well, as Scyther looked completely exhausted after landing. "Okay, keep going!"

"Swords Dance!" The rapid rotation caused the Rollout attack to slow and eventually stop. Scyther moved its blades into an attacking stance, and James knew exactly what was happening.

"Geodude, get out of there, quick!"

"Not happening. Scyther, use X-Scissor!" Scyther pushed Geodude away, then dived hard and smashed head-on into the Rock-type, who was knocked down and nearly beaten. "Quick, finish it off! X-Scissor again!"

"Rock Throw! Try to get away!" Geodude threw a heavy rock at the Bug-type, which ducked out of the way, giving it a chance to escape.

"Use X-Scissor, Scyther! Take it down!"

"Oh no, you don't! Rollout!" Once more, the Rock-type move hit home, and this time, Scyther was finally taken out.

"Scyther is unable to battle! Geodude wins!"

* * *

"All right, Geodude!" Jen had been watching the battle closely from the stands, and was becoming worried about her best friend. James had been visibly shaken by Pidgey's early defeat, and Cyndaquil and Geodude had had to put far too much effort into knocking Scyther out. She hoped James would turn the match around, but with both of his remaining Pokémon carrying damage, it didn't look promising.

* * *

"Way to go, Scyther." Bugsy said as he recalled his star performer. "You stuck it out like a true champion. Take a well-earned rest." He took out a second Pokéball and looked across at his challenger. "Don't forget you've still got to defeat two more of my Pokémon! You may have beaten Scyther, but he's not the only problem you've got to deal with!"  
"Let's do it, then! We'll see who's the last trainer standing! Cyndaquil, ready?" Cyndaquil let him know he was up for it, and James smiled. Cyndaquil wasn't backing off at all.

"Very well, then. Ledyba, let's do this!" The Five Star Pokémon jumped back and forth as it emerged, ready for a scrap.

"Alright, Geodude, Rollout again!" Geodude curled up and raced at Ledyba, who simply kept jumping. As the move was about to hit, Bugsy made his move.

"Mach Punch! Take it down!" James shouted a warning as he realized what was happening, but it was no use. The super-effective move smashed into Geodude and knocked it away. As the Rock-type hit the ground, it simply lay there, beaten.

"Geodude is unable to battle! Ledyba wins!"

* * *

"How did Ledyba beat Geodude in one hit like that?" James was really under pressure now. The battle with Scyther had tested his Pokémon's endurance, and it had taken a huge effort just to beat one Pokémon. Now, with only a tired Cyndaquil left, he had to hope the little Fire-type could overcome Ledyba and whatever Bugsy's third Pokémon was. He turned to Cyndaquil, who was looking intently at the battlefield. "Ready to go again?" Cyndaquil nodded and leaped onto the battlefield for a final time, the flames on his back blazing.

"Alright, it's the final round! Let's finish this battle!"

"It's not over yet! Cyndaquil, Ember!" The fire bolts barely missed as Ledyba jumped out of the way. "Quick, Flame Wheel!"

"Mach Punch!" The two moves crashed together, and both Pokémon hit the floor, with Cyndaquil now looking completely exhausted. "Now, Comet Punch!"

"Get out of there! Then use Quick Attack!" Cyndaquil rolled away, and raced at Ledyba so fast that it knocked the Bug-type over. "That's it, buddy! Now, Flame Wheel again!"

"I don't think so! Dodge that, Ledyba!" The Five Star Pokémon obeyed, and sidestepped the powerful Fire-type move.

"Cyndaquil, turn around, quick!" James' expression was one of panic as he saw that Cyndaquil was in the danger area.

"Mach Punch, now!" The Fighting-type move hit home, and Cyndaquil was knocked away, towards his trainer. The echidna got back up, and glared at the bug.

"Cyndaquil!" James looked relieved as he saw Cyndaquil start to move forward, then his eyes widened as the Fire Mouse collapsed, beaten at last. "No, Cyndaquil!" It was no use.

"Cyndaquil is unable to battle! Ledyba wins, and the victory goes to the Gym Leader!" James was shocked; it was his second loss already, and his first in a Gym challenge. He stared at the battlefield for a minute before running out to his fallen friend.

"Hey, Cyndaquil, are you okay?" Cyndaquil squeaked weakly as James picked him up from the ground. "Don't worry, buddy, it's not your fault." He saw Jen approaching, and shut his eyes to try and stop from crying.

"James, it's okay. You battled really hard, so don't beat yourself up."

"It's not that, Jen. I wasn't ready for his tactics, and I got caught short. We're just going to have to train harder until we're ready for a rematch."

"And it's one I'll be eagerly waiting for." Bugsy had walked over to them. "You battled very well under pressure, James. Your Cyndaquil in particular impressed me; it is a very resilient and determined little Fire-type."

"Thanks, Bugsy. We'll be back soon, count on that." With that, the two youngsters turned to take James' Pokémon to the Pokémon Centre, and eventually get ready to re-challenge the Azalea Gym.

* * *

_CHAPTER 16 PREVIEW_

_ Jen: We're training hard to help James get ready to battle Bugsy again! His Pokémon are strong, and they're super-hard workers too! He'll win the next one, no problem! Next time, in Pokémon Double-J Adventures: Rematch Training! Everybody, get Pokémon!_

* * *

** So that's it. James has suffered his first Gym battle defeat, and it's going to take some doing to be ready for a rematch. Let's hope the next one turns out better!**

** As is SOP, please read, REVIEW and let me know how it went. 'Till then, _auf Wiedersehen_, folks!**


	16. Rematch Training

** Hi and hello, and a happy early September! Here is Chapter 16 of Double-J Adventures Volume 1! I'll be honest, this chapter is really filler to cover some ground before James re-fights Bugsy, so take that into consideration if you do read this. Alright, here we go!:**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Pokémon; Nintendo and Satoshi Tajiri do.**

* * *

**POKÉMON DOUBLE-J ADVENTURES**

**CHAPTER 16-REMATCH TRAINING**

* * *

The morning after James' loss to Bugsy, the young trainer was up early and on the battlefield with his Pokémon, ready to work on a strategy to take down the Azalea Gym Leader. Jen wasn't even up yet, and James decided to let her sleep; she didn't have a rematch to train for, and James wanted to devote the whole day to working with his team. All four of his Pokémon were up for the challenge, and James talked to them before they started.

"Alright, guys, we've got a lot of work to do. Bugsy's Scyther really gave us problems in that last battle, and if we're going to win the rematch, we'll have to work on countering his Pokémon's speed." Cyndaquil squeaked at him, and James nodded. "Yeah, it's not gonna be easy, but it has to be done. That's where you come in, Gastly." He looked at the Ghost-type, which looked like it was about to doze off, and shouted its name again. "Gastly! As a Ghost-type, you can evade attacks better than the others, so you're going to be our target." Gastly stared apprehensively; being used for target practice wasn't its idea of a good day.

"So, are we all ready?" The team cheered, prepared and motivated to work hard. "Alright, let's get going!"

* * *

James saw his team working as hard as they ever had before, and he was pleased with their improvement. Gastly proved an excellent moving target, disappearing frequently and popping up in unexpected places. Pidgey in particular proved best at anticipating its movements, her sharp eyes tracking even the slightest disturbance. Geodude and Cyndaquil also improved their movement, although Geodude's preferred method of waiting and countering was proving a strong option as well. Jen came out to see the group taking a rest, and smiled.

"Looks like you've got these guys up and going. How's their speed training?"

"Getting better!" James answered, giving her a thumbs-up. "Gastly's proving to be a real master of deception; I've been using it as a stand-in for Scyther, although its tendency to be unpredictable is actually better. That way, my Pokémon can anticipate a movement quickly, and know what to look for."

"Awesome. So, do you mind if my Pokémon come out and help? They could use a workout, too."

"Bring 'em out! We need all the help we can get, and the more the merrier!"

"Alright, then. Let's go, everybody!" Out came Magby, Togepi and Zubat, all ready to train. "Okay, guys, we're going to help James train for his rematch, so I want you all to pitch in!" All three Pokémon indicated their agreement, and the training continued.

* * *

A few hours later, James and Jen signalled for a break in the training session.

"We'll come back this afternoon and train some more," James explained, "but now it's time for a rest." They recalled their Pokémon and headed into the Pokémon Centre, where they handed them to Nurse Joy to heal and eat some lunch. The two youngsters headed into the cafeteria to eat themselves, and discussed their next plans.

"So, after we finish off the Azalea Gym, where to next?" Jen asked. She was curious about how the region was laid out, and what they could expect as they moved on.

"Well, Goldenrod City is the next town, but to get there we have to go through the Ilex Forest. It's kinda long, so it might take us a while to get through there."

"Alright, a forest's not bad," Jen said, drinking some of her water. "They tend to have mainly Grass- and Bug-types, and we have a lot of Pokémon that can counter them and keep us safe."

"Yeah, but you never know what might come out at you. Anyway, after that the route is kinda long, but there's a few good places we can camp. Plus, the Daycare is along the way, so we could check that out too."

"Sounds like a plan." At that moment, Jen looked up and her eyes widened.

"What's up?" James asked her. She pointed and James turned to see Hunter standing right behind them. "Hey, Hunter, when did you get here?"

"A while ago. I battled the Azalea Gym this morning and got the badge. It wasn't easy though, Bugsy's Scyther is something else. How about you guys?"

"Well, Jen has the badge," James answered sheepishly, "but I lost yesterday. We've been training for a rematch for hours."

"Sorry to hear that. But then, these things happen."

"It's worse than that. Scyther's not the only Pokémon we've lost to." James went on to explain the skirmish at the Ruins of Alph, and Cyndaquil's defeat at the blades of the Admin's Kabutops.

"Yikes, so we've got a rogue gang of trainers with a _Kabutops_ running around? We'd better hope they keep away from us. So, why don't we finish up here and then head out back? I'd be happy to help you train for your rematch, James. Nurse Joy should be done with my Pokémon soon."

"Thanks, Hunter. It'll be good to have another set of Pokémon to train against." And so they finished and headed back upstairs to collect their Pokémon and resume training.

* * *

When the trio released their Pokémon, James was surprised to see an Onix in Hunter's team.

"Did you catch that Onix in Union Cave, Hunter?" Jen asked him. It fit with his professed emphasis on defense, after all.

"You know it. I needed three Pokémon to challenge the Violet Gym, so I backtracked once I caught it. Then I moved on and got down here. It's a good thing its endurance is so high, otherwise I'd have even more trouble with that Scyther than I did."

"Guess that shows that not all Rock-types are automatic wins against bugs." James muttered, thinking of Geodude. "Alright, so let's move. We're going to use Gastly..."

"James, how about we use Zubat instead? Gastly's probably had enough of the others taking shots at it, and Zubat needs a workout anyway."

"Alright, we'll use Zubat. Gastly, you're off the hook for now." Gastly yawned and closed its eyes, clearly happy not to have to dodge everything now. "Everybody ready to get back to it?" The whole gang answered affirmatively, and the training continued.

* * *

As the hours went by, James was feeling great about the prospect of another battle with Bugsy. His Pokémon had improved tremendously, and they looked like they were relishing the challenge themselves. Hunter's Onix allowed them to work on the strength of their attacks, putting more force in than they had done. This, Hunter reasoned, would allow their strikes to do more damage per hit, making it easier to take their opponents down.

"And since you're a natural attacker, it's important to deal as much damage as you can per hit. Some Pokémon take a lot more to go down than others, so you need to be able to use that extra bit of power to your advantage." James took his rival's words to heart, and was confident that his team would get even stronger going forward.

Evening came, and James called a halt. The Pokémon ceased their attacks, with a few stray fire bolts and rocks flying away, and turned to their trainers.

"Guys, we've really improved today. I think we're ready to take on the Azalea Gym again. Let's rest up and head over there tomorrow, and we'll take him down this time." Jen and Hunter watched as he talked to his Pokémon, the former smiling while the latter simply stood by.

"He's really confident now." Jen remarked. "This training session was just what he needed to bounce back from those two big defeats."

"Yeah, but he's got to be careful. He knows that Scyther's a piece of work, and so we'd better hope he didn't overcompensate." Hunter smiled wryly. "But then, he doesn't care who he's fighting, he's going to be gung-ho all the way. Not exactly my style, but that's the way things go."

"He'll be fine. I'm sure he's ready to take Bugsy down." As James joined the other two, they recalled their Pokémon and went into the Pokémon Centre to heal and rest for the next day's action.

* * *

_CHAPTER 17 PREVIEW:_

_James: This time it's our turn to win! We'll take that Hive Badge and finally take out that Scyther! But wait, what's up with Cyndaquil? Could it be...? Next time, in Pokémon Double-J Adventures: James VS Bugsy (Take Two)! Everybody, get Pokémon!_

* * *

** Alright, it's a bit of a short chapter, but it is admittedly filler, and an excuse to introduce Hunter's new Pokémon. This story hasn't been updated in a while, and I'm hoping to finally make good on my intention to update more frequently.**

** Anyway, enough rambling, please read, REVIEW and give me some feedback, any feedback. I've got some formidable classes coming up this year (my senior year), and I could use all the confidence boosts I can get. 'Till next time, folks!**


	17. James VS Bugsy (Take Two)

** Hi and hello! Chapter 17 is here, quicker than my last update, and the rematch between James and Bugsy is here as well! Can James overcome Bugsy's powerful X-factor and win a Hive Badge on the second attempt? Keep reading and find out!**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Pokémon; Nintendo and Satoshi Tajiri do.**

* * *

**POKÉMON DOUBLE-J ADVENTURES**

**CHAPTER 17-JAMES VS BUGSY (TAKE TWO)**

* * *

The glass dome of the Gym intensified the sunlight coming in from outside, shining a harsh light on the battlefield. Once again, James stood on the challenger's side, ready to redeem himself and win the Hive Badge. Bugsy stood on the other side, net in hand, ready to face off against this repeat opponent.

"Are you ready, James?" the Gym Leader called. "Remember, you'll find things no easier than the last time!"

"I'm ready whenever you are!" James shouted back. Cyndaquil stood by his side, primed for battle. The match official stepped up and began his introduction.

"Attention! The Azalea Gym rematch between James the challenger and Bugsy the Gym Leader will now begin! The prize will be a Hive Badge. Trainers are permitted to use three Pokémon, and once one side's Pokémon are rendered unable to battle, the challenge will end. Finally, only the challenger is permitted to make substitutions! Trainers ready?"

"Yeah!" James called, readying a Pokéball.

"Let's do this!" Bugsy answered, preparing his own Pokéball.

"Alright, battle begin!"

"Ledyba, let's go!" The Five Star Pokémon began its frantic jumping back and forth as it emerged, ready to take on its first challenge. James nodded and threw his first Pokéball.

"Geodude, come on out!" Geodude folded his arms as he landed, ready to execute the new battle strategy James had developed.

"Okay, James, you have the honor!"

"Right! Geodude, use Defense Curl!" Geodude rolled up, building up its defense, readying for a strike.

"Now, Ledyba, Comet Punch!" Bugsy knew the move wouldn't have much effect on a Rock-type Pokémon, but he was curious why James wasn't attacking straight from kickoff. Ledyba pummeled his opponent, with little effect, and jumped away before Geodude could do anything to it.

"Okay, Geodude, Defense Curl one more time!" James knew what he was doing. If Ledbya would just come a bit closer, Geodude could hit it.

"Ledyba, Mach Punch! Don't let it keep upping its defense!" Bugsy was now truly suspicious, and wanted to take out Geodude before it could cause any havoc. Ledyba approached and swung a glowing fist, but James reacted first.

"Now! Rollout attack!" Geodude bounced off the floor, spinning hard, and crashed heavily into Ledyba. The ladybug hit the ground and panted hard; the super-effective move had caused major damage.

"Oh, now I get it." Bugsy nodded as comprehension dawned. "Defense Curl powers up Rollout each time it's used, and so James waited for Ledyba to get in close before launching a heavy attack. Impressive. He's really improved since our last match."

"Keep up that Rollout, Geodude!" Not only would Defense Curl power up Rollout, but the move would increase in power every time it hit, and James intended to take full advantage. Geodude rocketed at Ledyba, hammering the Bug-type with tremendous force. Ledyba wavered, but didn't fall, surprising both James and Geodude.

"Now, Ledyba, Mach Punch again!" Bugsy knew Ledyba was punching above its weight already, and it would probably go down soon. He wanted to make sure Geodude was carrying as much damage as he could inflict, since it would be important later in the match.

The two Pokémon collided, and Ledyba definitely came off worse. It stayed on its feet, though, and glared at Geodude defiantly.

"Wow, Ledyba's tougher than I thought," James thought to himself. "It looks like it's gassed, but it won't go down. Time to finish this fight up." He pointed at Ledyba as he called out to Geodude. "Rollout, once more! Finish this!"

"Ledyba, Mach Punch!" A final collision created a cloud of smoke, and when it cleared, Ledyba's dazed expression was evidence it had finally been defeated.

"Ledyba is unable to battle! Geodude wins!"

* * *

From the stands, Hunter saw Ledyba go down and nodded.

"He's off to a good start." he remarked. "That should give him and Geodude some confidence for the other two Pokémon."

"But remember, Scyther's still in reserve, and Bugsy could bring it out anytime. A good start isn't good enough in this Gym." Jen was still worried about the Mantis Pokémon, and hoped it didn't come out anytime soon.

* * *

"Return, Ledyba!" Bugsy thanked his Pokémon before taking out another Pokéball and tossing it onto the battlefield. "Spinarak, you're up next!" The bright green spider stared straight at Geodude, who smiled calmly back. James, however, recalled his Rock-type.

"Take a rest, Geodude. I'll need you later." He took out Pidgey's Pokéball and tossed it out, releasing the Tiny Bird. "Pidgey, let's show 'em how much we've improved your speed!"

"This should be interesting," Bugsy mused, knowing that Pidgey would be difficult for Spinarak to handle. "Okay, after you!"

"Pidgey, Quick Attack!" Pidgey's attack hit home, and Spinarak winced slightly, but held its ground.

"Now, Spinarak, Spider Web!" Just like when he battled Jen, Bugsy wanted to stop James switching out, meaning Spinarak was now entirely Pidgey's responsibility. James smiled, though. He was confident that his Flying-type could win this round herself.

"Pidgey, Gust!" The swirling wind attack swept up a lot of the detritus on the field, buffeting Spinarak with twigs and nuts along with the super-effective move. "Now, Wing Attack!"

"Poison Sting!" Spinarak jabbed Pidgey with the spike on its head as Pidgey's wing hit, and instantly violet sparks shot across the Tiny Bird's body.

"Already!?" James knew it was a possible side effect of Poison Sting, but on the first hit? Now, with Pidgey poisoned, he had to deal with Spinarak so he could switch again. "Quick Attack!"

"Poison Sting again!" Aanother collision, another jab with Spinarak's stinger. "Now, quickly, Constrict!" This time, Spinarak's webbing wrapped around Pidgey and squeezed it, causing minor damage. As Pidgey flew clear, she shuddered as more poison sparks shot across her body. James knew she couldn't keep going too much longer, so he prepared to land a final hit.

"Pidgey, Wing Attack now!" Pidgey shot at Spinarak, her wings outstretched.

"Spinarak, Poison Sting!" One last time, Pidgey's wing smacked Spinarak, while its stinger jabbed her, but Pidgey had done her job. Spinarak lay knocked out in front of her.

"Spinarak is unable to battle! Pidgey is the winner!"

* * *

"Yeah! Way to go, Pidgey!" James' triumphant smile faded as he saw Pidgey's expression of pain. "Hey, are you okay?" Pidgey looked at him and tried to smile herself, but it was clear she was almost finished. "Can you keep going a little longer?" She nodded, and turned to face Bugsy as he readied his final Pokémon.

"James has knocked out two of Bugsy's Pokémon now, but he's still got to beat that Scyther." Hunter watched, and shook his head. "And Pidgey's going to collapse any second. This match may be tilted in James' favor right now, but it's balanced on a knife edge."

"Well, I guess we're going to see if all that training is going to pay off." Jen was confident James could pull it off, but concern remained on her face. How he battled now would be decisive.

"James, you've really impressed me. Your Pokémon are much stronger since our last match, and are more resilient too. But this isn't over yet."

"I know, and I'm ready to keep going! I'll get that badge, you can count on it."

"Well, at least you're still confident. Good. Let's continue then." He threw out his last Pokéball and released Scyther. The Mantis Pokémon crossed its blades and glared at Pidgey, who maintained her usual scowl despite her poisoning.

"Okay, Pidgey, let's keep going! Wing Attack, quickly!" Pidgey, however, was moving a lot slower, and Scyther readied itself for a strike.

"Scyther, X-Scissor!" Scyther's blades glowed blue-white, and it slashed hard, knocking Pidgey down as she flew in. Pidgey trilled weakly as she succumbed to the poison and was knocked out.

"Pidgey is unable to battle! Scyther wins!" James recalled Pidgey and thanked his valiant Flying-type.

"You stuck it out, Pidgey. Thanks a lot." He took out Geodude's Pokéball and let the Rock Pokémon out to battle once again. "Geodude, watch out for Scyther's speed!" Geodude grinned and crossed its arms, waiting for Scyther to attack.

"Scyther, now, Swords Dance!" Scyther's frenzied spin upped its attack power, and James knew he had to counter it.

"Defense Curl!" Geodude rolled up, steeling itself for a hit.

"Now, Scyther, X-Scissor again!" The Bug-type attack struck, but didn't do as much damage as it would normally. "Don't let up! Slash attack!"

"Geodude, Rollout!" The two attacks met, and Scyther looked like it had been dealt a strong hit. Geodude simply sat on the ground, not showing any outward effects. "Keep up the Rollout!"

"X-Scissor!" Geodude's attack really did some damage now, with Scyther visibly slow to get up after the super-effective move. James smiled and prepared to hit it again.

"Rollout, keep it going!" Rollout's power would increase, and Scyther would take more damage every time. All he had to do was...

"Slash!" The attack cut at Geodude in mid-flight, and knocked it down onto the field. James looked and saw that Geodude had the dazed look of defeat on its face.

"Geodude is unable to battle! Scyther wins!"

"No, Geodude!" He couldn't believe it; Geodude was down for the count! "But how? Slash shouldn't do that kind of damage!"

"Slash is a Normal-type attack, yes. But even when not powered up by Swords Dance, it has a high chance of hitting a weak spot. So it is a potent weapon against Pokémon with a disadvantage." James growled as he realized what that meant. That was why Cyndaquil had suffered so badly against Kabutops, and then his whole team against Scyther. Such a combination of speed and power would be tough to beat, even with all the training they'd done. Now, with just Cyndaquil left, he needed to put that training to use.

* * *

"I can't believe it. Geodude got taken out in short order, and Pidgey didn't stand a chance." Jen was really worried now. She watched intently as James recalled Geodude, and closed her eyes, hoping he could rebound.

"He had to leave Pidgey out there, as harsh as that sounds." Hunter told her. "With the poison damage, it would've been harder if he'd recalled her and then sent her back out. And Geodude's defeat was really down to a lucky shot. If Scyther hadn't landed that critical hit, Geodude would've been in there a lot longer. Let's hope Cyndaquil can pull this one out of the fire."

* * *

"Cyndaquil, it's time. Let's finish this up!" Cyndaquil squeaked at James, then ran out onto the battlefield.

"Alright, James, it's our final matchup! Are you ready?"

"Of course! Cyndaquil, Quick Attack!" Cyndaquil charged at Scyther, landing a direct hit and darting out of range before it could react.

"Scyther, use X-Scissor!"

"Dodge, Cyndaquil!" Cyndaquil watched Scyther's movements, then jumped out of the way. "Now, Ember!" Some of the fire bolts hit, but Scyther's speed and momentum meant that they were glancing shots.

"Keep it up! Turn around and use Slash!"

"Flame Wheel!" The two moves crashed into one another, and both Pokémon took damage. Cyndaquil was fresher, though, and ran as far from Scyther as he could, denying it a close-in shot. "Awesome, now use another Flame Wheel!"

"X-Scissor!" Another clash of moves, this time creating a cloud of smoke that obscured the combatants. James knew Scyther might take advantage and come from nowhere, so he knew he had to deal with it quickly.

"Quick Attack! Get out of that smoke!" Cyndaquil raced towards him, and he turned around with his fire vents fully ablaze. Scyther, though, rocketed upwards and dived towards Cyndaquil, readying another X-Scissor. "Move it, Cyndaquil! Use Quick Attack again and get out of the way!" Cyndaquil managed to escape, but Scyther was right back on top of him in an instant.

"Slash, Scyther! Take it down!" The dangerous attack hit its mark, and Cyndaquil lay on the ground for a few seconds before getting up. "Again, Scyther! Slash it!" More cuts, more damage.

"Cyndaquil, counter it! Flame Wheel!" Cyndaquil slammed into Scyther, trying to create some space, but Scyther continued its assault. "Quick, try to get away!"

"Not a chance!" Bugsy shouted. He knew Scyther had taken some powerful hits, but he didn't intend to lose this battle. This challenge may have been better than the last, but it was still a Gym challenge, and he wasn't going to roll over and lose. "Now, X-Scissor! Put this match away!" Scyther's attack sliced at Cyndaquil once again, and knocked the Fire Mouse onto the ground, where he lay motionless.

"Cyndaquil!" James couldn't stand to see Cyndaquil go down again, not after all the training they'd done together. He watched his friend's movements as the Fire-type pushed himself onto his feet, and squeaked defiantly at Scyther. No sooner did this one squeak resonate through the gym that Cyndaquil began to glow. "Wait, can that be...?"

"No way!" Hunter shouted.

"It is! Cyndaquil's beginning to evolve!" Jen watched with intense interest as Cyndaquil's body began to change. As the process went on, Scyther simply watched, and Bugsy nodded.

"This intense fighting provoked a surge of energy that allowed Cyndaquil sufficient power to evolve. Of course, this is probably bad news for me and Scyther, but hey, I wouldn't be a Gym Leader if I wasn't ready for something like this."

The glow faded, and there was now a strong, blue-furred Pokémon with a long body and fire burning on its head and tail standing where Cyndaquil had been. He roared triumphantly as his fire burned, and James' wide-eyed expression turned to exhiliration.

"Cyndaquil evolved into Quilava!" Before doing anything else, he pulled out his Pokédex to scan his newly-evolved starter Pokémon.

_"Quilava, the Volcano Pok__é__mon,"_ the Pokédex announced. _"Its fur is completely fireproof, so it can use the intense flames on its body without worrying about injuring itself."_

"So that's Quilava!" Quilava turned to James and nodded with a grin on his face. "Alright, then, let's test out your power! Use Ember!" Quilava started to launch the fire bolts, but the attack converged to form a powerful stream of fire that hit Scyther full-on. "Wow, not only did you evolve, but you've learned Flamethrower! That 's awesome!"

"Well, I see you're excited, James. But I'm still not done! Scyther, X-Scissor!"

"Duck out of the way, then use Flamethrower again!" Quilava jumped to one side, let Scyther fly past, then hit it with the super-effective attack. Scyther sank to one knee as it faced its opponent, knowing it might be too much now.

"Don't let up! Use X-Scissor once more!" Scyther crossed its blue-white glowing blades again and raced at Quilava.

"Finish this! Flame Wheel!" Quilava's body was surrounded by fire, and he jumped into Scyther's path and they collided hard. The resultant smoke cloud covered the entire battlefield, and both trainer and Gym Leader strained to see who had come out on top.

As the smoke began to clear, Quilava could be seen standing determinedly in the centre of the field, while Scyther lay on the ground, unmoving. The referee looked at Scyther, and then raised his arm.

"Scyther is unable to battle! Quilava is the winner, and therefore the winner is James from Violet City!"

"All right!" James ran onto the field and slid on his knees towards his first Pokémon. Quilava growled happily as his trainer hugged him, while James was glad the match was finally over. He'd won the Hive Badge, and now his and Jen's journey could continue. "Way to go, buddy, you really battled well!"

"You certainly did." Bugsy had walked up to them; James hadn't even seen him recall Scyther. "Cyndaquil's evolution into Quilava was enough to turn the match in your favor. Well played, James, well played." James stood up and was immediately wrapped in a bear hug by a thrilled Jen, and Hunter stood by and nodded, smiling.

"James, way to go! I guess all that training really helped!"

"It sure did." James knew that he couldn't have won without Jen's help, nor with Hunter's. "Thanks a lot, guys."

"Don't sweat it," Hunter said with a chuckle. "I couldn't just let my rival get beat again, right?"

"Well, he didn't." Bugsy handed James the red-and-black badge. "As proof of your victory at the Azalea Gym, I present to you the Hive Badge."

"Thanks a lot, Bugsy!" James said, closing his hand over the badge. Everyone bade Bugsy goodbye, and they headed outside the gym.

"So, Hunter, do you want to come with us into the forest?" Jen asked a few minutes later.

"No, thanks. I'd rather travel alone, so I can really get to know my Pokémon."

"I hear ya," James said, remembering his own attitude before his journey started. "Hey, next time we see you, we should have a battle. You know, so we can gauge how much we've improved."

"I'll take you up on that when we next meet." Hunter waved goodbye, and he moved towards the Ilex Forest. James watched him disappear, then turned to Quilava.

"So, Quilava, are you still gonna stay out of your Pokéball? You certainly won't fit on my shoulder anymore." Quilava nodded, and James smiled. "Thought so. Alright, we'll keep this going."

"You guys really did well today." Jen told them. "Say, why don't we head to the Pokémon Centre and rest, then go into the Forest tomorrow?"

"Sounds like a plan." James said, and they moved swiftly to make it happen.

* * *

_CHAPTER 18 PREVIEW_

_ Jen: Alright, Ilex Forest! Time to move towards the next city and the next Gym! We're ready for anything! It's not as scary in here as people say! Next time, in Pokémon Double-J Adventures: The Forest Awaits! Everybody, get Pokémon!_

* * *

**So that's that, folks! James now has his Hive Badge, and so this extended stopover in Azalea is over. Now, they can move on towards Goldenrod City and the next stop on the road to the Pokémon League.**

** As always, please read, REVIEW and tell me what you think. Hopefully this will spawn quicker updates (easier said than done, I know). All right, **_**auf Wiedersehen**_**!**


	18. The Forest Awaits

** Alright, here's chapter 18, folks. I'll say it now, this chapter is going to be shorter than the others (it is, admittedly, another filler chapter), so don't expect too much here. You have been warned. Now, on with the story!**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Pokémon; Nintendo and Satoshi Tajiri do.**

* * *

**POKÉMON DOUBLE-J ADVENTURES**

**CHAPTER 18-THE FOREST AWAITS**

* * *

Hunter had long disappeared through the Ilex Forest when James and Jen woke up the next day. The two trainers had breakfast before they began packing for the next leg of their journey, and Quilava was as ready to go as ever. Jen was worried about getting lost in the forest, but thankfully someone had taken the time to draw a detailed map of the area, making their trek that much easier. James picked up the map and scanned it briefly, scowling when he saw that the direct route was blocked by a small lake.

"So what?" Jen asked. "As long as we don't get lost, we'll be fine."

"Yeah, but...you know," James hated forests as much as he hated unlit caves; both had the chance of wild Pokémon jumping out at you unexpectedly, and he wasn't keen to repeat the Dark Cave incident.

"Oh, don't be such a scaredy-Meowth!" Jen teased, giving him a playful shove. "There's probably a ton of cool Pokémon in the forest, and maybe we can battle somebody in there too."

"I guess," James decided it was better to concede the point than argue any more, since he wanted to get through the forest before it got too dark. "Alright, the guide says that Ilex Forest has a lot of Bug- and Grass-types, so Quilava should be able to protect us. If anything, the only thing we need to worry about is getting lost."

"Okay, then, let's grab our Pokémon and get going."

* * *

As they passed through the gatehouse to Ilex Forest, the gatekeeper stopped them briefly before they could proceed further.

"Be careful in there. Normally there's nothing to worry about, but some suspicious men were spotted in the area. If you see anyone like that, steer clear of them. They looked like trouble."

"I'll bet anything it was Team Triassic again," James muttered as they walked into the dense wood, and Quilava growled low in his throat when he heard the villainous team's name. The Volcano Pokémon obviously had a score to settle, and James put a hand on his head to steady him. "Easy, buddy, we're not going to take them on again this time. I know you want to pay Kabutops out, but you're going to have to wait."

"Right," Jen added. "This isn't a good time to pick a fight. We won't be very close to a Pokémon Centre for a while, and the last thing we need is for you to get beat up again." Quilava growled reluctantly, but let the matter drop. Instead, he scouted ahead, wary of any wild Pokémon that could jump out at any moment. Both youngsters kept an eye out as well, moving quickly but cautiously along the forest floor. Occasionally, they saw a stray Oddish or Paras watching them from the underbrush, but nothing came after them. As they hit a fork in the road, they saw a young man frantically searching the trees for something.

"Oh no, oh no, oh no," they heard him mutter as they approached. "What am I going to do? My dad is going to throw me in the kiln for this..."

"Something wrong, mister?" Jen asked, watching him look up and down in the thick wood.

"Yes, something's wrong! My dad's Farfetch'd ran off again! He told me to start cutting down trees for our Charcoal production, and sent Farfetch'd along with me. But it won't listen to me because I don't have the right badge, and now it's gone and hidden in the trees! If I don't find it, I'm in serious trouble!"

"Don't worry, we'll help you get it back." James assured the worried man, who smiled weakly.

"You will? Thanks ever so much!" The man explained how Farfetch'd could hear just about anything, and so would be alerted to their presence by even the slightest sound. "So you'll likely need to work together to catch it." he finished.

"No problem!" James answered, thrilled at the prospect of trying to capture the wayward Pokémon. He turned to Quilava. "You stay here for now, buddy." The Volcano Pokémon frowned at being left out of the chase. "Look, I know you want to help, but you might attract too much attention. Just sit still and we'll be right back." He turned to Jen, who was eager to move. "Okay, let's catch that Farfetch'd..."

* * *

"Man, it's hard to see in here," Jen remarked about twenty minutes later. The lost Farfetch'd was well-hidden, and without any of their own Pokémon to track it, the two youngsters were finding it difficult.

"Just keep looking." James answered, his eyes sweeping the terrain as they searched for their quarry. "It'll show up eventually. I just wish we knew what to look for..."

"_There!_" Jen hissed, pointing to her left. "That's got to be it!" About twenty yards away stood a duck-like Pokémon holding a green stick. "That guy said it was able to cut down trees, right? The stick must be what it uses!"

"Looks like it." James whispered, trying to formulate a plan to trap it. "Man, I wish Hunter was here, he's great at tracking Pokémon..." He broke off when Jen glared at him reproachfully; she still hadn't gotten over the nerve-racking way his rival had stalked that Wooper. "Alright, so what do we do?"

"There's a pile of sticks over there." Jen pointed, indicating a mass of twigs. "If I go over there and draw it's attention, you can sneak up and grab it. Just don't make any noise!"

"Got it." James watched her run quietly over towards the sticks, and didn't move until he heard the sharp _crack_ that indicated that she'd stepped on one. The Farfetch'd turned to face the sound, and he slipped out of his hiding place, careful not to make a sound. Farfetch'd continued to stare in Jen's direction, not seeing her, and tilted its head as it failed to locate the source of the noise. James decided to take a calculated risk and let Gastly out of its Pokéball.

"Alright, Gastly, I need you to use Hypnosis on that Farfetch'd. That way we can bring it back without hurting it." Gastly obeyed and floated silently towards the bird Pokémon, who was still staring the wrong way. The Gas Pokémon surrounded Farfetch'd and began to lull it to sleep. Farfetch'd didn't resist at all, and both youngsters came running over when they were sure the bird was truly asleep.

"I completely forgot about Gastly," Jen remarked as James picked the Flying-type up. "That Hypnosis attack is really going to come in handy."

"That's what I'm hoping. Gastly may not be much use at the next Gym, but it'll come good." He grinned at the Ghost-type, who returned the expression with its own fanged smile.

* * *

"Thank heaven you found it! I can't tell you how grateful I am!" the young man said as James brought back Farfetch'd. "Now I can get back to work, once it wakes up that is."

"Well, putting it to sleep was the only way I could think of to get it back unhurt." James said, smiling. "Now, let me see..." He took out his Pokédex to scan the Flying-type.

_"Farfetch'd, the Wild Duck Pok__é__mon. It uses its green onion stalk as a weapon, and will defend the stalk with its life if ever threatened."_

"What's going on here?" a deep voice interrupted, and James turned to see a tall man with a white headband walking towards him. "What are you kids doing with my Farfetch'd?"

"Well, you see..." James was trying to justify himself without implicating the young man next to him, but his new friend interrupted.

"It's my fault, Dad," he said apologetically. "Farfetch'd ran away again, and I asked these two kids to help me find it. It's thanks to them I have it back."

"Is it, now?" the older man asked, looking at the two youngsters. "Well, they certainly know how to catch a wayward Pokémon, don't they? Have you two been in the forest before?"

"Never, sir," Jen replied, a little taken aback by this development. "We're headed towards Goldenrod City, and this wasn't exactly on our schedule when we started in here."

"Even so, you both did a fine job. My son could learn something from you two," the man said sternly, looking at the young man, who hung his head. "Alright, we'd better get to work. Do you two need help getting through the forest?"

"No, thanks," Jen answered. "We picked up a map at the Pokémon Centre, so we're following that."

"I thought you might. I'm the one that drew it." When the two youngsters looked at him in surprise, he elaborated. "I started drawing the maps of the forest to mark out the best places for woodcutting, so we'd always have the best wood for our Charcoal Kiln. Since a lot of travelers pass through Azalea, I started drawing more detailed maps and giving them to the Pokémon Centre so wandering trainers didn't get lost. It's good to see they're being put to use."

"Oh, it will, believe me. We don't intend to get lost in this place." James and Jen thanked the woodcutters, then continued through the forest.

* * *

The rest of the trek through the forest was relatively uneventful. They stopped for a quick break near a small building that looked to be a shrine of some kind, but they were both mystified as to its function; its doors were shut, and had no evidence of anything being inside. As they approached the exit gate on the other side of the forest lake, they noticed a few men in familiar desert camouflage standing near the gatehouse. They hid in a clump of bushes as the grey-haired Admin stood in front of a larger group, obviously giving orders. Quilava started to growl menacingly, but James quieted him with a hand on his snout.

"We have gathered what information we can from the Forest Shrine." the Admin said, his cold voice penetrating the gloom. "It appears that we may be able to draw power from the Shrine to accomplish our goal, but we will need to find more powerful sources of energy to complete the project. Rest assured, our efforts will bear fruit! Team Triassic will rise, and none will stand in our way! Now, move out!" After a quick shout, the mass of black- and tan-uniformed men marched into the gatehouse, presumably to their next research mission. As the last stragglers tramped through, James and Jen emerged, with Quilava fighting to control its fire.

"Man, those guys are _crazy_!" James remarked, shaking his head. "I don't know what they think they're going to accomplish, but it's obviously nothing good."

"Don't worry about it." Jen told him, putting a steadying hand on his shoulder. "We've got enough problems, you can't let yourself get worked up by this."

"I know, I know," James said, then regained his composure. "Alright, let's get out of here! I've had enough of dark, quiet places to last a lifetime!" With that, he sprinted towards the gatehouse, with his traveling companion and starter Pokémon racing to catch up.

* * *

_CHAPTER 19 PREVIEW_

_ Jen: Out of the forest and onto the open road again! There's the Daycare, maybe we can see some cute Pok__é__mon over there. Wait a minute, this little one seems to be a bit attached to me... Oh, well, that's the way things go! Next time, in Pok__é__mon Double-J Adventures: An Electric Experience! Everybody, get Pok__é__mon!_

* * *

**And there you have it. I know it was short, but I just couldn't think of any other plotlines and I want to get this series rolling again **_**before**_** I graduate (at least!). Next time will see our friends venture onto Route 34, and maybe see a new team member (or more) joining the gang!**

** So anyway, SOP still applies. Please read, REVIEW and tell me how it is! Like I said before, I really want to get this series moving soon, so any feedback helps! Till then, **_**say**__**ō**__**nara**_**, **_**auf Wiedersehen**_**, **_**nam**__**á**__**ri**__**ë**_**, farewell****!**


	19. An Electric Experience

**Hi and hello! Chapter 19 of _Double-J Adventures_ is here! I've not got much in the way of pre-commentary today, so let's get this started!**

**A/N: I know the sense of time in the story is badly off, I'm doing my best to rectify it.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Pokémon; Nintendo and Satoshi Tajiri do.**

* * *

**POKÉMON DOUBLE-J ADVENTURES**

**CHAPTER 19-AN ELECTRIC EXPERIENCE**

* * *

Route 34 was _long_. Very long. Even though it was a straight shot from the Ilex Forest gatehouse to Goldenrod City, it would take several days to traverse the whole thing. James and Jen spent a lot of their time training on the run, moving up the route and camping out when it got dark. After about four days, James scanned his Pokégear map to determine what was next.

"Okay, Goldenrod City is another couple of days' walk from here," James said as he looked for landmarks along the route. "According to the Pokégear, the Pokémon Daycare is just a few miles away. Maybe we can find out what there is to know about them, and whoever runs the place could possibly give us some advice on training our Pokémon."

"I've always wanted to visit a Daycare." This was true; Jen's ambition to become a breeder had not dropped since they left Violet, and now she had a chance to meet someone who did it for real. "I always loved playing with the baby Pokémon at the Trainer's School, and Daycares are full of them. Plus, I've got two baby Pokémon myself, so the person running the Daycare could tell me how I'm doing raising them."

"So let's get over there. It's not too far now, if we run we can get there quickly." Jen nodded in agreement, and they hurried along the path, Quilava keeping up easily.

* * *

Less than an hour later, they reached a small house on the edge of the road, where an older man stood outside watching the route. As they approached, he turned to face them, and smiled as they reached him.

"Hello, young ones," he said in a friendly voice. "I take it you are both Pokémon Trainers?"

"Yes, we are," Jen answered, smiling back. "My name's Jennifer, and this is my friend James and his Quilava." James nodded, preferring to let Jen do the talking.

"Fascinating," the old man said, looking at Quilava. "This Pokémon is quite well-trained for its relative experience level, and looks like it has endured some hard battles already. Am I correct, son?"

"Yeah, we've had our ups and downs." James related the major points of their journey, leaving out the encounter with the Triassic Admin's Kabutops; even weeks afterward, the memory was still painful. "We've both got two badges already, and we're heading to Goldenrod to get the third."

"Well, why not come inside and see our facility? I'm sure you will learn quite a bit here."

"I was hoping you'd ask us that." Jen told him, and they walked into the house.

* * *

The house was a simple one, with a living area on one side and a play area, presumably for the smaller Pokëmon, on the other. The old man introduced the youngsters to his wife, who gave them a cheerful smile.

"Welcome to our Daycare Centre!" she said enthusiastically. "It's wonderful to have trainers stop by on their travels. Are you here to drop a Pokémon off with us?"

"Unfortunately not, ma'am." Jen said respectfully. "We're on our way to Goldenrod City, and we thought it would be cool to check out the Daycare. My dream is to become a Pokémon Breeder someday, and this seemed like a great place to find out more about it."

"In that case, you've come to the right place!" the old woman said. "I'll show you around our Centre, and you can see how we get things done around here!"

"Awesome! Thanks so much!" Jen followed the Daycare Lady out into the play area, while James stood with Quilava and the Daycare Man.

"She's got a lot of heart," the old man said, and James nodded.

"A lot more than I do, that's for sure. She cares a lot about her Pokémon, and she's put up way better showings in battle than I have."

"Now, don't sell yourself short," the Daycare Man reprimanded him. "I can tell just by looking at you and your Pokémon that you care just as much as she does. Remember, you're both relative beginners still. Just stay patient and focused and the results will follow." James nodded at the old man's words, and they headed to meet the others in the backyard.

* * *

The Daycare Lady showed Jen the play area, which they used as a safe environment for the younger Pokémon to run and grow. It was a simple area, with many toys and other knick-knacks to keep their charges entertained.

"We try to make sure the Pokémon in our care have a safe, calm place to grow." the old woman explained. "This area attempts to provide that. They do spend time outside, but only under strict supervision. Once they grow older and stronger, we let them move to the outdoor area on a semi-permanent basis. The outdoor area is where we conduct most of our work, caring for Pokémon that trainers have left in our care as well as newly-hatched Pokémon that stayed behind for whatever reason."

"Wow, you guys sure have a great job!" Jen answered, gazing in awe at the area. It seemed like any Pokémon could grow and have a good time here. "So what do you do about breeding? How does it work?"

"Well, with breeding it's a little tricky. We do our best to make sure the process only occurs if the trainer allows it, or more normally asks for us to go ahead with it. There are hatcheries around the region, but we don't have the facilities to run something like that. We do our best to ensure that nothing unauthorized happens, but we always make sure we keep the eggs safe if something does go amiss." Jen nodded; it would be borderline irresponsible to allow Pokémon to breed without their trainers' say-so. If something bad happened, such as if the trainer couldn't take care of the egg, the baby Pokémon would have to stay behind without a trainer, or worse a parent.

"So when you do discover an egg, you either give it to the trainer or hatch it yourself, right?"

"Yes. Hatching an egg here is fairly difficult, since Pokémon eggs hatch best if they are cared for by a trainer. But in the cases where we do, we make sure the baby stays with Pokémon of their own species, so that they can grow as if they had been bred in the wild. Once it gets to the stage where a Pokémon is grown enough and no-one claims them, we either send them to another facility or release them into the wild."

"Is that safe?"

"We try to make sure of that. It would be wrong for us to just leave them out there, that's why we gauge their growth very carefully to make sure they can cope."

"Wow," was all Jen could say.

* * *

In the yard, the Daycare Man showed James the large amount of Pokémon he and his wife cared for. Most of them were first-stage Pokémon like Pidgey or Sentret, but some mid-level species were also in the mix. James looked around and noticed that the Pokémon tended to congregate with others of their type. As his eyes fell on a group of Electric-types, he saw Jen walk through the back door, followed by the Daycare Lady.

"Hey, Jen, how'd it go?" he asked her. Jen smiled and told him all about what the old woman had said, and indicated that she had learned a huge amount.

"This is one of the coolest places I've ever been to!" she finished. "Now I _know_ what I'm going to do when I get older."

"An admirable goal." the old man said. "I was just showing young James here our main Pokémon-raising area."

"Wow, look at all the Pokémon!" Jen said excitedly, moving towards where the Electric-types were convened. James mentally sighed at her enthusiasm, and followed her with Quilava. Before he could reach her, though, an electric shock knocked him over.

"Hey, what the...?" He looked and saw a roundish yellow Pokémon with black stripes laughing at him. The creature's horns looked like the prongs on an electric plug, and its chest had a black lightning bolt.

"Oh, goodness, not again," the old lady said, shaking her head. "That Elekid is such a prankster, it never listens when we tell it not to do that."

"Elekid?" James had heard the name, but he'd never actually seen one. He took out his Pokédex to scan the still-laughing Electric-type.

_"Elekid, the Electric Pok__é__mon. It spins its arms to build up an electric current, but it cannot store this charge within its body."_

"That's one cool Pokémon," James said to himself, despite his annoyance at being shocked. "I'd sure love to train one."

"James, are you okay?" Jen asked as she ran over to him.

"I'm fine, just a bit shocked." He half-laughed at his terrible joke, then noticed the Daycare Lady watching him.

"That Elekid is a handful. It's always shocking other Pokémon for fun, and often goes after trainers as well. I believe that it needs a trainer to teach it some discipline."

"I'd take it off your hands in a second." James didn't expect much from this comment, but he knew a Pokémon like Elekid would be a strong member of his team given the right training. To his surprise, the old woman was smiling at this.

"Maybe you could. Why not think about that while you look around? I'm sure it would love to travel with you." James grinned and continued to walk through the large area, observing the Pokémon as he did so.

* * *

Jen had wandered back over to the Electric-types that James never reached, overcome with happiness. _The little ones are so cute_, she thought to herself. _I could get used to doing this job._ As she turned away, she saw a small mouse-like Pokémon timidly walking around her feet, gazing up at her with a nervous expression.

"Hey, there." Jen said softly, kneeling down to face the little Pokémon. It had black-tipped, triangle-shaped ears and a short black tail, and its cheeks had small pink circles on them. "What're you doing there, little one?" The Pokémon flinched as Jen spoke to it, and Jen backed away a little bit, taking out her Pokédex to learn more about the creature.

_"Pichu, the Tiny Mouse Pok__é__mon. This Electric-type can produce a strong enough electric current to shock a human, but it has trouble controlling this current."_

"Cool," she said as she stowed the device. Pichu had moved back towards her, and Jen smiled at it. "Don't be afraid. I'm not going to hurt you."

"Jen, look out!" James called, and Jen turned to see an Elekid flying at her. She quickly moved out of the way, and the Elekid stopped in front of Pichu, glaring threateningly at Jen.

"What's up with this Elekid? Is this the same one that shocked you, James?"

"No." Jen looked to see the Daycare Lady standing next to her. "You see, this Elekid is very protective of that Pichu, for reasons we haven't been able to identify. This particular Pichu happens to be extremely timid, which is unusual for her species. Pichu as a whole tend to be quite social, but this one tends to stay away from the others."

"That's too bad," Jen said, watching Pichu wander past Elekid and go back to her left shoe. "She's certainly intrigued by me, that's for sure."

"Well, I've already talked to your young friend about taking the Elekid that shocked him along. Why not do the same with this Pichu? I'm sure you will make a great trainer for her."

"Maybe," Jen said as she knelt back down to look at Pichu. "Hey, would you like to come with me? You can meet my other Pokémon, and we'll be best friends." Pichu looked scared, but then a small smile crossed her face. She squeaked happily, and Jen smiled back.

"Looks like that's a 'yes'." the Daycare Lady said, and Jen took out a Pokéball to take Pichu along. Before she could tap the Tiny Mouse with it, though, the Elekid jumped back in front of Pichu and growled protectively. "Oh, goodness me, Elekid doesn't like the idea." Elekid pointed behind him to Pichu, then crossed its arms defiantly. "I see..."

"What's it saying?" Jen asked.

"It seems to be saying that it wants to go along too. I believe the expression is something along the lines of 'if she goes, I go'."

"Okay," Jen said doubtfully, then brightened. "Hey, the more the merrier, right? Okay, Elekid, you can come with me too. If you feel that strongly, I won't separate you guys. How about it?" Elekid nodded, and moved so Jen could catch Pichu before going into a Pokéball himself. Jen tapped Pichu on the ear, and she was sucked inside with a flash of red light. The ball didn't even shake, just pinged and lay still at Jen's feet. "Awesome. Alright, Elekid, you're next." She did the same with Elekid, making a mental note to introduce her new acquisitions to the rest of the team later.

* * *

James had walked around the whole yard, watching the Pokémon go about their business and marveling at how two people could handle this whole operation. He saw Jen taking two Pokémon and adding them to her team, and went over to her to see what was going on.

"Hey, Jen, they let you take those two with you?"

"Yeah," Jen said happily. "A Pichu seemed to like me, so I was only going to take her, but another Elekid came up and wouldn't let me take her unless he went too. So now I've got five Pokémon, and I can't wait to introduce them to the gang."

"Sounds like you've had a good day, then." James looked around for the Daycare Lady, and indicated that he wanted to talk to her. "Ma'am, I've thought a lot and made a decision. I will take that Elekid along with me. I get the feeling we'll be great teammates."

"That's absolutely fine." the old woman affirmed. "Let's see if it wants to go with you." The Elekid in question had wandered over to them, and was preparing to poke James in the leg and shock him again. "No, Elekid, no shocking." Elekid backed off sheepishly, and the old woman addressed it again. "How would you like to travel with this young man? I know you would be a strong member of his team." Elekid considered, then pointed to James' belt. "Well, I think I know what it wants to do."

"What's that?"

"It wants to battle you first. That way, you can catch it as if it were a wild Pokémon."

"Sounds awesome," James said, and quickly considered who to use in battle. "Quilava's too strong, Pidgey has a bad type disadvantage, and of course Geodude's immune to electricity, which takes the fun out of it..." There was only one choice. "Alright, Gastly, come on out! It's time to battle!" The purple cloud of gas that emerged sounded like it was yawning, which James disregarded. "You can take a nap later! Let's catch us a new Pokémon!" Elekid was already moving, brandishing a sparking fist.

"It doesn't know Gastly is a Ghost-type," the old woman observed. "That Brick Break is going to do nothing."

"Brick Break?" Jen asked as she joined the proceedings. "Isn't that a Fighting-type move?"

"Yes. Many trainers will teach it to Elekid to overcome its inability to reliably damage Ground-types. It looks like this Elekid picked it up from its parents, and yours may have as well."

Elekid's attack went right through Gastly, not doing any damage at all. Gastly watched Elekid run by in confusion, then bared its fangs menacingly.

"That's right, Gastly! Use Hypnosis on it!" Gastly floated over and surrounded Elekid with its purple cloud, and the Electric-type was asleep in moments. "Now, Lick attack!" The Ghost-type's long tongue brushed against Elekid, causing it to shudder in its sleep. After several of these attacks, James decided it was time.

"Alright, Elekid, time for you to come with us!" He threw a Pokéball at Elekid, who was sucked in, and the ball began shaking. Quilava watched from the side, not entirely over his nervousness around Pokéballs. After three shakes, the ball pinged and lay still. James walked over and picked up the ball, grinning broadly.

"Way to go, James!" Jen was excited; they now had five Pokémon each, and having two Elekid would be fun. "You've got yourself an Electric-type now!"

"Yes I do." James said, looking at the Pokéball in his hand. The Electric Pokémon would be a tricky one, but one James looked forward to raising. "Now all I have to do is introduce it to the others. Quilava, come here, will ya?" As Quilava walked over, James let Pidgey and Geodude out to meet the newcomer. They both reacted well to Elekid's appearance; Geodude nodded calmly, while Pidgey trilled a greeting while somehow managing to maintain her haughty expression. Gastly didn't do anything significant, it just yawned heavily.

"Well, I should introduce everyone on my team now." Jen released Magby, Togepi and Zubat to meet her new Elekid and Pichu. The reaction was the same; Elekid stood protectively by Pichu while Magby and Togepi greeted their new teammates, and Zubat chittered a welcome.

"Those are some interesting choices, kids," the Daycare Man said as he moved over toward them. "Jennifer, you seem to have an affinity for baby Pokémon, and James seems to be emphasizing the basics with his team."

"Well, James' battle style is mainly offensive," Jen explained. "I'm still trying to develop my own style, but that'll come with time."

"You two will be fine. Your Pokémon look strong, and you have a strong handle on what it means to be a Pokémon trainer. And Jennifer, I think if you work hard enough you will become a great Pokémon Breeder someday."

"Thank you, sir." Jen answered. The group said their goodbyes to the Daycare Couple, and the two youngsters headed back out to finish their trek towards Goldenrod City.

* * *

_CHAPTER 20 PREVIEW_

_ James: Alright, we're finally at the big city, ready to take on the next Gym. Hold on, Quilava, you don't look so good? What's wrong, buddy? This isn't good at all... Next time, in Pok__é__mon Double-J Adventures: A Change in Plans! Everybody, get Pok__é__mon!_

* * *

**And that's a wrap. Chapter 19 in the books, coming up on a new Gym, and hopefully this project can really get going since **_**Figure It Out**_** is done! (Incidentally, any AdvanceShippers should feel free to check that one out).**

** Anyway, not much else to tell you guys, so please read, REVIEW and give me a shout! Until next time, **_**nam**__**á**__**ri**__**ë**_**!**


	20. A Change In Plans

** Hi and hello! Chapter 20 of _Double-J Adventures_ is here, and our two favourite youngsters are still going strong! What's next for our young friends from Violet City? Only way to find out is to read on!**

** A/N: please don't get annoyed at my poor explanation of Pokémon illnesses. It's just an idea that shot through my head and seemed to fit the storyline.**

** Disclaimer: I don't own Pokémon; Nintendo and Satoshi Tajiri do.**

* * *

** POKÉMON DOUBLE-J ADVENTURES**

** CHAPTER 20-A CHANGE IN PLANS**

* * *

Goldenrod City, the biggest city in Johto. For a kid like James, the size of the de facto capital might be intimidating, but neither he nor Jen were fazed by the tremendous buildings and wide, bustling streets. James was eager to hit the Goldenrod City Gym as soon as possible, and Jen echoed that sentiment. Their first stop was naturally the Pokémon Centre, where they stopped to rest after their long trek up Route 34. As they entered the building, James headed for the counter while Jen looked for the trainer's area.

"Hey, Nurse Joy, did a rust-haired trainer with a Bulbasaur come through here?" For whatever reason, James was curious to know whether Hunter had gotten past the Goldenrod Gym. When Nurse Joy answered affirmatively, James smiled and went to find Jen. She was waiting at the entrance to the trainers' lounge, and they looked for a quiet spot to take a breather.

"Man, that trip took forever," Jen gasped as they sat down in the corner of the lounge. "Even without the stopover at the Daycare, that route takes a lot out of you."

"You think that was bad? Just wait 'till we head further north, the trip gets even harder." James took a big gulp of water from his canteen before he continued. "So, do you want to battle the Gym first? You took down Bugsy on your first shot, so if you go first, I'll be the only one delaying us if I lose."

"I think you should battle first, since I did last time. I'm not going to let you be the gentleman every time, James." James grinned at this and turned to Quilava, who was lying on his stomach next to James' chair.

"You ready to take on the Goldenrod Gym, buddy?" Quilava nodded, but something was obviously amiss. The Volcano Pokémon didn't seem to have the same energy he usually did.

"Is Quilava okay?" Jen asked, looking at the Fire-type. "He looks tired out."

"Maybe I should take him to Nurse Joy," James said, and he led his starter Pokémon over to the main counter.

"Hello, young man. Welcome to the Goldenrod Pokémon Centre!" Nurse Joy said cheerfully. "How may I help you?"

"Nurse Joy, can you do a quick check on my Quilava? He doesn't look so good."

"Certainly. Quilava, could you please follow me?" Quilava growled weakly and did his best to do so, but collapsed halfway to the examination room. As James cried out and ran over to his friend, Nurse Joy sprang into action. "This isn't good! Chansey, I need a stretcher for a mid-sized Fire-type Pokémon, stat!" The pink assistant Pokémon behind the desk rushed to comply, while James began to panic.

"What's wrong with Quilava, Nurse Joy?"

"We can't know until we can conduct a closer examination. It could be serious, or it could just be extreme fatigue. Don't worry," she added calmly as James' expression became even more terrified. "Your Quilava is in good hands. Leave everything to Chansey and me." James nodded, but was unconvinced. This was the second time he'd had to watch his buddy go through this, and it was just as bad as the first.

* * *

"James, what happened?" Jen asked as James walked back into the lounge. "You look like you did when you fought that Kabutops."

"Quilava's not doing so well." James answered simply, trying to hold back his tears. "Nurse Joy is taking care of him, but it's hard to see your best friend—best non-human friend, that is—get wheeled into a hospital room."

"Hey, Nurse Joy will have him up and firing again, no problem!" Jen said reassuringly. "It's not your fault, these things happen. I remember how upset my neighbor in Snowpoint was when her Pokémon got sick. But that's what Nurse Joy and the Pokémon Centre is for. He'll be fine." James sat down and shut his eyes, not convinced in the least. They sat there for a good fifteen minutes, then Nurse Joy reappeared, her expression calm.

"James, your Quilava is going to be fine. We've run a few tests, and he's simply got a chill that sometimes manifests in Fire-type Pokémon, so it's not as serious as it could have been. All he needs is a good night's rest. I do have to ask you a couple of questions so we can figure out what brought it on."

"Sure," James said, wondering what could've caused his friend to suddenly drop like that. Nurse Joy took out a notepad and jotted something down before turning back to him.

"Okay. First off, how long has it been since Quilava evolved from the Cyndaquil stage?"

"A couple of weeks. He evolved back in Azalea Town during a Gym Battle. He was pretty banged up towards the end, but according to the Azalea Gym Leader the fighting caused a surge of energy that made him evolve. But what does that have to do with it?"

"Well, the amount of energy required to trigger the evolution process is fairly substantial." Joy explained, writing James' answer on the pad. "The first few weeks after evolution can be fairly stressful for some Pokémon, since they have to come to terms with a new form and sometimes new drawbacks. Have you done any heavy battling since that time?"

"No," he answered. "We've been training on the move, but I haven't battled anyone since the Azalea Gym."

"So no major battling since evolution. Alright." Nurse Joy took a few more notes, then continued. "Now, has Quilava ever gone through any major trauma?" When James looked confused, she clarified it for him. "Has he ever been seriously injured in battle, meaning beyond simply being knocked out?"

"Yeah," James said slowly. "We fought a Kabutops while he was still a Cyndaquil, and he got cut up pretty badly. He was fine after he got treatment, though."

"Alright," Joy wrote something else down on the notepad. "Okay, now that I have this information, I can tell you that Quilava's recent evolution likely contributed to his illness. It isn't a common phenomenon, but I believe that the surge of energy that allowed him to evolve caused his body to go into something of an imbalance. In other words, his body is feeling the latent after-effects of that energy surge, and that has manifested itself as his current illness. You're lucky it didn't happen on the road or during a battle."

"I'll say," James murmured. "But what does the battle with Kabutops have to do with it? That was a long time ago."

"I can't say for sure, but sometimes a traumatic experience in the past can contribute to future illnesses. In this case I don't think it makes a difference. I was simply wondering if past injuries were a part of this."

"Okay," James said quietly, confused but happy that Quilava was going to be okay. "So what do you suggest?"

"Well, Quilava is going to have to spend the rest of today and tonight in the treatment room. These illnesses tend to pass within a day or two, but we can have him up and running by tomorrow. I would, however, recommend letting him rest for a few days. I'm assuming you two are traveling a lot, so the constant activity may be affecting him."

"If that's the case, maybe we shouldn't move so quickly," Jen said, looking at James. "We have been going at an insanely fast pace, and it might be better if we stick around in a town for longer than we normally do."

"I would definitely recommend that. Now, you're planning on challenging the Goldenrod Gym at some point, right?" When James nodded, she continued. "I would let Quilava sit this battle out. He may get over his illness quickly, but throwing him right back into battle will almost certainly make things worse." James sighed; there went his plans for the Goldenrod Gym. Jen saw this and tried to cheer him up.

"Don't worry, James. You've got four other Pokémon with you, so Quilava can rest up for the next one!"

"I know, but..." James hated the idea of sitting Quilava. If there was one thing Quilava loved to do more than anything, it was participating in a Pokémon battle. But Nurse Joy knew better than he did, so he had to accept it.

"He'll be fine, trust me." Nurse Joy reassured him. "For now, we can let him rest, and I'll bring him back out tomorrow morning. He's safe with us." James thanked the Pokémon Nurse, and Joy bowed to them before heading back to treat Quilava.

* * *

"If Quilava's gonna sit for the next match, I have to figure out who to use in his place," James said half an hour later as he and Jen walked to the Centre's training area. "If it's a standard three on three, I have the numbers, but my strategy has to change."

"Well, I can help you." Jen answered as they found a small area to practice in. "I've already got something of a strategy planned, but I need to work in my two new Pokémon. Come on out, everybody!" She tossed her five Pokéballs into the air, and they released their occupants with a snap. Magby and Togepi stood close to one another, waiting for their trainer's orders. Zubat flitted from one end of the lineup to the other, and Pichu hid behind Elekid, still unused to her new teammates.

"Okay, I'd better let my team out too." James released his four Pokémon; Pidgey instantly began looking for Quilava, while Geodude folded his arms and Gastly yawned. His Elekid moved to shock somebody, but Geodude rolled in front of him and sternly told the Electric Pokémon to stop. "Alright, guys, we've got a Gym battle soon, so I need to pick a lineup. Quilava's not feeling well, so he's out, but that means the rest of you get to step up and battle. Are you guys ready to go?" The team called out affirmatives, and James grinned. "Alright, let's get to it!"

* * *

James' team worked hard trying to earn their spot in the next battle. Jen's did similarly, but she spent more of her time integrating Pichu and Elekid to her squad, which wasn't easy due to Pichu's timidity and Elekid's aggressive nature. The hours passed, and eventually James turned to Jen with a confident look on his face.

"Hey, Jen, why don't we have a practice battle? I've got a tentative lineup set, so I want to see how at least one of my Pokémon fares."

"Okay," Jen called over Magby, who looked eager to battle. "Magby, we're going to have a quick battle, are you up for it?" Magby nodded with a smile; she was always ready for a match. "Okay, Magby's my choice."

"Alright, I'll send out Elekid. He's a newcomer, but I'm going to put his skills to use." Magby and Elekid faced each other, with Elekid stifling a laugh. Magby chirped at him, but Elekid ignored her. "Elekid, knock it off. This is your chance to become a true part of the team."

"Let's get going already!" Jen called out. "We're burning daylight over here!"

"Alright, fine! Elekid, use Quick Attack!" The Electric-type crashed into Magby, who stood firm.

"Magby, Fire Punch!" Magby's fist caught fire as she swung at Elekid, but her fist was met by her opponent's own attack. "Hey, watch out for that Brick Break!"

"Elekid, go after it!" Elekid and Magby kept trading strikes, with neither managing to put the other away. Eventually, though, Elekid's body caught fire after one strike, and James groaned.

"Alright, it's burned, Magby! Take it down!" Magby's Fire Punch hit the mark, and Elekid lay dazed and beaten.

"Elekid!" James was annoyed at the defeat, but confident nonetheless. "Man, we may have lost, but I'm impressed! That Brick Break is going to surprise a lot of people."

"It sure will. I read that the Goldenrod Gym Leader uses Normal-types, so a Fighting-type attack like that is going to be important."

"Yeah," James turned to the rest of the team, who waited patiently for instructions. "Okay, guys, I think I have a team worked out. Elekid's in because of Brick Break, and Geodude, you're in because of your resistance to Normal-type moves." Geodude nodded and rolled into a wider space, which caused James to raise an eyebrow. "Okay. Pidgey, you're going to have to battle, since Gastly's Ghost-type moves won't cause any damage." Gastly yawned happily; he'd have rather taken a nap anyway. "Hey, don't think you're off the hook. I'll find a battle to put you in." The lazy Gas Pokémon just yawned again and floated down to the ground, eager to get some sleep.

"Looks like you've got a strong lineup." Jen looked at Geodude, who now had his eyes closed. "Hey, James, look at Geodude. He looks like he wants to take a nap too."

"Then let him take a nap. The gang's been training hard, they need their rest." As he finished this statement, Geodude opened his eyes and his body turned a harsh white. "Wait a minute! That's...!"

"It's evolving." Jen couldn't believe it. The Rock Pokémon hadn't shown any outward signs of being ready to evolve, but had always just sat there, calm and stoic. "Let's hope he doesn't end up like Quilava."

"He won't." James had to convince himself of this; he didn't want his whole team falling ill because of an evolution.

* * *

Geodude's body grew immensely, and the first thing James noticed was the appearance of two short legs. Two extra arms appeared near his chest, and his rocky skin transformed into what looked like scales. It's narrow eyes remained as calm as ever, and it curled up into its preferred ball as soon as the process finished.

"Wow. It evolved into Graveler." James took out his Pokédex to scan his newly-evolved team member.

_"Graveler, the Rock Pokémon and the evolved form of Geodude. Its preferred method of locomotion is rolling rather than walking, and it cares little if pieces of itself break off in transit."_

"How cool!" Jen knew that an evolved Rock-type would really put James over the edge. "Now you're in perfect position to challenge the Gym!"

"I may be, but I think you should battle first." James told her. "With everything that's happened, I'm going to need to sit back for a bit."

"Alright then," Jen answered, and they recalled their Pokémon before heading back into the Pokémon Centre.

* * *

_CHAPTER 21 PREVIEW_

_ Jen: Alright, looks like I'm up to battle the Goldenrod Gym! These Normal-types aren't going to stop me! My Pokémon can handle them with no problem! Next time, in Pokémon Double-J Adventures: Plain and Simple! Everybody, get Pokémon!_

* * *

**Twenty chapters. Wow. Considering this has been a start-stop project for a few years, and that the storylines have been nagging at me for a long time, it's coming along alright. Now that I've got a definite framework in my head, I can combine that with the brilliant work of Hans Zimmer to get this rolling!**

** Anyway, that's enough about my weird writing tendencies, please read, REVIEW and tell me what you think! Until next time, _namárië_!**


	21. Plain and Simple

** Hi and hello, folks! Chapter 21 is here, bringing with it a Gym battle! How's it going to go for Jen? Keep on reading to find out!**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Pokémon; Nintendo and Satoshi Tajiri do.**

* * *

**POKÉMON DOUBLE-J ADVENTURES**

**CHAPTER 21-PLAIN AND SIMPLE**

* * *

Jen and her Pokémon had trained hard for their battle at the Goldenrod Gym. Despite the relative inexperience of Togepi and Pichu, the group continued to try and impress their trainer so they could participate in the coming match. James, for his part, was still distracted by Quilava's illness, and spent half the time staring at the blank wall of the Pokémon Centre, unable to drive the worry from his mind.

As they headed for their room at the Centre, James looked mournfully towards the treatment rooms, knowing his best buddy was still in there. Nurse Joy would obviously have him back in fighting form by the morning, but he still felt lousy about the whole state of affairs. Jen noticed this and patted him on the arm to try and comfort him.

"James, Quilava's gonna be fine. Don't worry so much, it's no good for you."

"I know, but I can't help it. Quilava's put himself through so much, and it hurts to see him like that. Maybe it's my fault, I don't know."

"It's not your fault, James. You trust Quilava, and he trusts you. These things happen all the time, and all you can really do is get used to it. Believe me, Quilava's a powerful Pokémon and he's also your best friend. Don't let it get to you."

"Yeah," James said quietly, but in the back of his mind he couldn't help but ask "_why always me?"_

* * *

The next morning dawned, and Jen woke to find James up and out already. Knowing where to look, she headed for the trainer's lounge. She spotted him slumped in a vacant armchair, half-asleep and exhausted. Shaking her head, she walked over to him and shook him lightly.

"Hey, wake up, will ya?" James stirred and looked around for a few seconds before focusing on her. "C'mon, you couldn't just sleep in the room? You'd have been more comfortable there."

"I couldn't sleep, so I came out here, but then I fell back asleep when I sat down. Sorry if I surprised you, I didn't want to wake you up this early."

"James, I know why you're up so early and I understand. You're super-worried about Quilava, so you wanted to see him as soon as you could. I only got up early because I'm challenging the Gym, so I wanted to get some last-minute stuff done." At that moment, Nurse Joy came up to the pair with her usual smile on.

"I knew I'd find you here, James. Quilava has recovered quite nicely, and once he wakes up I'll bring him out."

"Thanks, Nurse Joy." James was relieved to hear that Quilava wasn't ill anymore, although he knew that his starter would still have to sit their upcoming Gym challenge out. "We'll be right in here when he's ready to come out." Joy bowed and moved towards the treatment area, while James slumped back into the chair.

About half an hour later, Joy returned with the Volcano Pokémon at her heels. James jumped up when he heard the Fire-type's distinct growl and ran over to greet his friend.

"Hey, buddy, you're okay!" James hugged Quilava tightly, and Quilava growled happily at being reunited with his trainer. "I was so worried about you, Quilava, and I'm so happy you're alright." Jen smiled at the scene as Pokémon and trainer shared the moment.

"They really do care about each other."

* * *

A couple of hours later, the two youngsters walked along the bustling main street towards the Goldenrod Gym. They went slower than they usually did; Nurse Joy _had_ told them to slow down a bit after Quilava's illness, especially with the Volcano Pokémon's stubborn refusal to go inside his Pokéball. Jen didn't mind so much, either; it was a good opportunity to do some sightseeing along the way, something they hadn't done in most of the cities they'd visited so far.

The Gym hove into view, and the first thing they noticed was its simplicity. Very few decorations adorned the dome-like building; it had little in common with the tower in Violet or the greenhouse-esque structure of Azalea's. Jen reasoned that since she'd heard that the Goldenrod Gym Leader used Normal-types, the lack of decoration fit. James simply nodded; he was more concerned with how the Gym Leader battled.

They reached the sliding doors of the building and entered to find two people standing there in deep conversation. One was a dark-haired young man who was flushed in the face, his hands shaking. The other was a pink-haired girl wearing what looked like a softball shirt and striped socks that nearly reached her knees.

"So that's a _no_?" the young man was saying, looking bitterly disappointed. The girl shook her head.

"I wish I could, but I'm too over my head with challengers. Being a Gym Leader is hard work, you know. I'm really sorry." The young man just nodded and ran past the two youngsters, looking crushed. The girl watched him leave, then turned to them. "Oh, hello there, I didn't see you right away. Are you here to issue a challenge."

"Yes, I am. My name's Jennifer, and I'm from Violet City. I'd like to challenge you to a battle."

"And I'm James. I'm here to watch, but I'm going to challenge the Gym too."

"Awesome stuff. I'm Whitney, the Goldenrod City Gym Leader. But everyone calls me The Incredibly Pretty Girl! It fits, right?" She winked at them and pointed towards another set of doors. "The battlefield's this way, guys. Let's get started, huh?"

"Yeah!" Jen said, and followed Whitney to the field while James and Quilava went to find a place to sit in the stands.

* * *

"This Goldenrod City Gym battle between Jennifer of Violet City and Whitney, the Goldenrod Gym Leader is about to begin!" the battle judge called out. "The prize will be a Plain Badge! Each trainer may use three Pokémon, and the challenge is over when all three one side's Pokémon are rendered unable to continue. Furthermore, only the challenger is permitted to make substitutions. Trainers ready?"

"I'm ready!" Jen called, preparing a Pokéball. "I've trained too hard to be beaten here, count on it!"

"I like your enthusiasm. But don't think I'm going to be easy to take down. My Pokémon are really strong, starting with this one!" Whitney tossed out her first Pokéball, releasing a small pink Pokémon with a star-shaped body and black-tipped ears. It waved its arms rhythmically, and squealed happily at the chance to battle.

"Wow, what's that?" Jen said as she drew her Pokédex.

_"Clefairy, the Fairy Pok__é__mon. Clefairy tend to congregate during a full moon, and those who witness this are said to be granted happiness."_

"So that's a Clefairy, huh? No problem for us! Magby, let's go!" Magby emerged and spit out a mouthful of flames as a statement of intent.

"A Fire-type? No problem for us! Alright, Jennifer, you get the first move."

"Right! Magby, use Smog!" The Live Coal Pokémon expelled a large cloud of toxic gray smoke, which Clefairy jumped over easily. Magby growled in annoyance and ran after her opponent.

"Clefairy, Pound attack!" Clefairy punched Magby on the shoulder, knocking the Fire-type away. Magby retaliated with a rapid-fire Ember attack, catching the Normal-type in the back. Clefairy crashed to the ground, and Jen saw her opening.

"Don't let up, Magby! Fire Punch!" Magby's fist blazed as she slammed it into Clefairy, pushing her opponent hard into the ground with the force of the strike.

"Keep going, Clefairy! Use Sing!" Clefairy's soothing melody started up, but Magby held her claws in her ears until it stopped again.

"That's it, Magby! Give it another Fire Punch!" The flame-enhanced blow hit home, and Clefairy lay on the battlefield, out cold.

"Clefairy is unable to battle! Magby is the winner!"

* * *

"That was quick," James murmured as he watched the proceedings. "Magby's really gotten a lot stronger, and she didn't need Jen to tell her how to block that Sing. I can't get complacent, but Jen looks confident." Quilava growled his agreement, lying on the ground next to his trainer. "She'd better stay focused, though. Whitney's not a Gym Leader for nothing."

"That was a good effort, Clefairy. Take a rest." Whitney recalled her Pokémon and looked across at Jen. "Your Magby is really strong, Jennifer! It doesn't usually take that long to put Clefairy away."

"We've trained really hard." Jen answered. "And we're ready for whatever else you throw at us!"

"You'd better be. I'm not giving up that Plain Badge easily." Whitney took out another Pokéball and threw it. "Furret, you're up next!" This time, a long Pokémon with brown and tan stripes emerged, briefly jumping up onto its hind paws in a show of force. Jen saw this and giggled; Furret may have tried to look intimidating, but she found it too cute to be convinced. Magby simply spit out some more flames in challenge.

"Alright, let's get moving! Magby, Fire Punch!"

"Dodge it!" Furret dropped to the Gym floor, and Magby's punch missed by inches. "Now, knock it over!" Furret swept its tail at Magby's feet, tripping the Fire-type and sending her crashing to the ground.

"Magby, don't let it knock you down! Use Ember!" Magby launched more fire bolts, but Furret just raced away. After a few moments, it rocketed at Magby and ploughed into her with a lightning-fast Quick Attack. "What's with that speed?"

"Furret is naturally very fast, and we've trained hard to make it even faster. That means we're able to dodge almost everything you try to hit us with." Jen groaned and recalled Magby.

"Sorry Magby, but we're just not gonna be able to take Furret down from the ground." She pulled another Pokéball out and tossed it, releasing Zubat. "Zubat, we're gonna need your speed to take down Furret!"

"No way a bat's gonna beat us! Now, Furret, Quick Attack!"

"Intercept with Air Cutter!" Zubat sent the sharp air current at Furret, who shrank back a little before leaping after its target. The move struck Zubat in passing, and Furret dropped towards the ground. "Quick, another Air Cutter!"

"Use Dig!" Furret hit the floor and dove underground, just managing to avoid the cutting air. Jen was confused; Dig, as a Ground-type move, wouldn't have any effect on Zubat. Zubat simply flitted back and forth, waiting for its opponent to emerge.

"Zubat, locate Furret with Supersonic!" Zubat unleashed the sonic wave, then flew over to the left of Furret's hole.

"Furret, come out of there and use Slam!" Furret leaped out of the hole and smashed its tail into Zubat's head. Zubat hit the ground and struggled to get back in the air. "Now, Quick Attack!"

"I don't think so! Bite, Zubat!" Zubat sank its fangs into Furret's foreleg as the attack hit home, and Furret flinched slightly. "All right, Air Cutter!" The bladed current barely missed Furret, who knew what to do.

"Finish it, Furret! Slam attack!" Another strike from Furret's tail sent Zubat crashing to the ground and out of the match.

"Zubat is unable to battle! Furret wins!"

* * *

"No way," James couldn't believe how easily Whitney eliminated Zubat's aerial advantage. "Zubat should've been tougher to hit from the air, but Furret took it out just like that! Jen's got her hands full now."

* * *

"Zubat, return!" Jen was shocked at the Bat Pokémon's defeat, but refused to give in. She took out Magby's Pokéball and tossed it out, releasing her first Pokémon for another crack at Furret.

"Alright, Furret, you know what to do! Use your speed to run rings around it!"

"Not a chance! Magby, use SmokeScreen!" The black smoke hid most of the battlefield, and even though Furret was faster, it couldn't see Magby anymore.

"Furret, keep calm! Wait for it to emerge, then use Slam!" Furret waited for Magby to charge, but when it turned to face her, it was caught in the face with a flaming punch.

"Alright, we've got it on the ropes! One more Fire Punch!" Magby crashed her fist into Furret's midsection, putting it away.

"Furret is unable to battle! Magby wins!"

"Way to go, Magby!" Jen jumped up in excitement, knowing she was one win away from the badge. "Keep this up and we'll win for sure!"

"Don't count your Torchic until they hatch, Jennifer!" Whitney called out. "I've still got my strongest Pokémon ready, and she's always set for a battle! Out you come!" This time, a large cow-like Pokémon burst from the ball, letting out a joyful cry as she landed. Her pink body ended in black-tipped limbs, and her thin tail had a black sphere on the end. "Jennifer, meet Miltank!"

"Wow," Jen murmured as she drew her Pokédex again and trained it on the new opponent.

_"Miltank, the Milk Cow Pok__é__mon. This Pok__é__mon prefers not to battle, and its nutritious milk is well-regarded for its restorative properties."_

"Alright, it looks like this isn't a Pokémon to mess with..." Jen breathed hard, then refocused. "Magby, go after it! Start with Smog!" The dark cloud hit Miltank, but the Milk Cow Pokémon stood firm.

"Miltank, Defense Curl!"

"Magby, Fire Punch!" Whitney smiled as she saw Magby charge, then sprang into action.

"Miltank, Rollout!" Jen, realizing what was going on, shouted a warning to Magby, but it was too late. Miltank crashed into Magby and left her lying on the field, taken down by the super-effective attack.

"Magby is unable to battle! Miltank wins!"

* * *

"That Miltank knows how to use Rollout?" James had jumped from his seat when he recognized the tactic he usually used with Graveler. "Man, that was unexpected. Jen's got her hands full now."

* * *

"Take a long rest, Magby. You deserve it." Jen was taken aback by Miltank's power, but she wouldn't let it faze her. She took out her last Pokéball and gripped it tightly, knowing her hope for the battle lay in this last choice. Throwing the ball, she pushed all doubt from her mind. "Elekid, let's roll!" The Electric Pokémon spun his arm as he emerged, glaring at Miltank with narrowed eyes.

"An Electric-type next, huh? This should be fun. Miltank, Rollout again!" Miltank curled up and sped at Elekid, who waited for his command.

"Elekid, use Quick Attack to dodge!" Elekid used the move's speed to sidestep the Rollout, and followed his opponent's path. "Now, ThunderShock!" The electric burst caught Miltank and stopped the Rollout cold. "Keep it up, Elekid! ThunderShock!"

"Miltank, don't let it stop you! Use Rollout again!" Miltank's attack hit home this time, sending Elekid flying, but Miltank pulled up after the contact with yellow sparks playing across her body. "Oh, no, not that!"

"That's Static!" Jen couldn't believe her luck. Static would leave Miltank paralyzed, slowing her down and leaving her open to attack. "Alright, Elekid, ThunderShock again!"

"Miltank, use Stomp!" Miltank tried her best to comply, but the paralysis didn't let her move quickly enough. Elekid leaped through the air and fired the ThunderShock from between his horns. The electric blast caught her and left her on her knees, panting hard. "Miltank, are you okay?" Miltank weakly called an affirmative, but any observer would see she was tiring.

"Miltank looks gassed," Jen murmured, thinking on how to take it down. "Okay, Elekid, let's show off our secret weapon! Brick Break!" Elekid's fist sparked as it leaped at Miltank, who waited for Whitney to command her.

"Miltank, meet that Brick Break with Rollout!" Miltank's rolling strike hit home, while Elekid's forearm crashed into Miltank's body and left it reeling from the super-effective move. "Don't give up, Miltank!"

"Time to end things, Elekid! One more Brick Break!" Elekid slammed its forearm into Miltank's forehead, knocking the Milk Cow over. Miltank pulled herself up, but then slumped forward, done for the match.

"Miltank is unable to battle and Elekid is the winner! The victor is Jennifer from Violet City!" Jen leaped up in delight, but then noticed Whitney with her head down.

"Whitney, are you okay?" Whitney didn't answer, but shook uncontrollably instead. Inexplicably, she had burst into tears.

"How? Why me?" she wailed, unable to restrain herself. "Miltank worked so hard, but we couldn't beat this challenger. I'm a failure of a Gym Leader."

"No you're not...!" Jen was about to comfort the suddenly miserable Leader, but then she saw the judge standing beside her.

"Don't worry about Whitney," she said. "She always cries when she loses, but she'll calm down eventually." Jen nodded, still feeling sorry for Whitney. After about a minute, Whitney stopped crying and looked at Jen with only a slight sniffle.

"Oh, goodness, I'm sorry. I just can't stand it when I lose...but anyway, that's not the point. You beat me fair and square, and it was a fun battle."

"It sure was," Jen answered, glad to see Whitney had stopped crying.

"And since you beat me, here's the Plain Badge!" Whitney took out a small yellow square edged in gray. "It really was fun, Jennifer. I only hope your friend is as much fun to battle with."

"Trust me, he will be." Jen giggled as James emerged from the stand with Quilava in tow. "Hey, James, you'd better be ready. Whitney's a tough customer."

"So I saw," James answered with a grin. "I can't wait to battle you, Whitney. Your Pokémon should be a solid test for my team."

"I'll be looking forward to it." The Goldenrod Leader laughed, and the challenge was set.

* * *

_CHAPTER 22 PREVIEW_

_ James: Alright, my turn to battle Whitney! I may not have Quilava available, but my team is ready for anything! Let's go out there and win that badge! Next time, in Pokémon Double-J Adventures: Elekid Chips In! Everybody, get Pokémon!_

* * *

**And that's that! Jen has her third badge, and James is gearing up for his battle challenge. As the preview might suggest, we're going to see James' Elekid charge into battle, so that should be a sight, **_**nein**_**?**

** Anyway, standard operating procedure still applies. Please do read, REVIEW and tell me how it went. Until next time, **_**namárië**_**!**


	22. Elekid Chips In

**Hi and hello! Here's Chapter 22 of _Double-J Adventures_, where James will try for his third Gym badge! No intro necessary, so let's get to it!**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Pokémon; Nintendo and Satoshi Tajiri do.**

* * *

**POKÉMON DOUBLE-J ADVENTURES**

**CHAPTER 22-ELEKID CHIPS IN**

* * *

James had already set his lineup for his Gym challenge, so he and his team trained hard almost as soon as he and Jen returned to the Pokémon Centre. Jen turned her Pokémon over to Nurse Joy, and watched as James worked Elekid out to take full advantage of his Brick Break. Graveler had volunteered to help in this regard, despite his Rock typing leaving him open to damage. Quilava lay down on the sideline, knowing that James wasn't supposed to use him, and Gastly was nipping back and forth between his teammates, making a nuisance of himself.

Elekid was already showing signs of a fighting ability beyond what James expected. Hit after hit landed, and even though Graveler was standing up well, he was feeling the strikes. James had checked Elekid's moves beyond his Brick Break and found the usual basic Electric attacks, and even though they'd be no use against Graveler, he hoped either a lucky ThunderShock or Elekid's Static could cause Whitney some trouble. Elekid looked eager to go up against Whitney's Normal-types, and after a few hours James called a halt so his team could rest before the match.

After turning his Pokéballs and Quilava over to Nurse Joy, James followed Jen towards the cafeteria so they could eat before turning in. Jen noted that James looked much more vigorous than before, even if Quilava wasn't allowed to battle tomorrow.

"You ready to battle, James? You know Whitney isn't going to be easy."

"Oh, I'm ready for her. Elekid's Brick Break should cause some havoc, and I've drilled Pidgey and Graveler on how to counter Furret's speed. As for Miltank, I'm just going to have to hammer away at her until she goes down."

"So your usual strategy, then?" Jen giggled as James turned away, knowing she'd pinned it in one.

* * *

The next morning brought a repeat of the previous day; a brisk but calm walk to the Gym, mainly for Quilava's benefit, and a quick talk with Whitney before entering the arena itself. James sent Quilava up into the stands with Jen; he didn't want to risk sending the Fire-type out, which was likely to happen if he stood next to him. Quilava reluctantly complied, and James readied himself for his first match without his strongest Pokémon.

"Attention! The battle between James of Violet City and Whitney the Goldenrod City Gym Leader is about to begin! At stake is the Plain Badge! Each side may use three Pokémon, and the challenge will end when all three Pokémon on either side is rendered unable to continue. In addition, only the challenger may substitute."

"Don't think you'll beat me easily, James!" Whitney called from across the field. "We're ready for you, no matter what you throw at us!"

"Oh, I'll be walking out of here with that badge. I may not have Quilava, but the rest of the gang are more than capable of winning."

"Alright, battle begin!"

"Furret, let's go!" The Long Body Pokémon stretched itself out as it emerged, confident in its speed and power.

"Furret, huh? Okay, Pidgey, let's do this!" Pidgey trilled disdainfully at Furret as she flew up, out of the Normal-type's reach. Furret simply smiled and readied itself for the coming fight. "Alright, Pidgey, start it off! Quick Attack!" Pidgey raced at Furret, which used its usual tactic of flattening itself against the floor as the opponent went by. Pidgey didn't give up after the initial miss, though, and rocketed back towards her target as it rose from the floor. The resultant hit left Furret reeling, but it quickly recomposed and got ready to continue.

"Furret, use your own Quick Attack!" Furret and Pidgey collided, neither doing too much damage, and Pidgey flew back out of range before Furret could hit her with a stronger move.

"Wing Attack!" A slap of Pidgey's wing knocked Furret off-balance, and James knew he had an opening. "Okay, we've got it now! Quick Attack, and keep it going!"

"Furret, Slam!" Furret allowed two attacks to hit before flattening Pidgey with a swing of its tail. Pidgey forced herself up, but the attack had done serious damage. "Alright, jump after it and use Slam again!"

"Dodge and use Quick Attack!" Pidgey was moving slower than usual, though, and couldn't avoid the ferocious hit. She crashed to the ground and trilled weakly, her battle nearly finished.

"Get it, Furret! Quick Attack!" Pidgey watched helplessly as Furret charged at her, but at the last second she found the energy to rocket back into the air.

"That's the way, Pidgey! Now, Wing Attack!" Pidgey charged, wings outstretched and ready to strike.

"Use Dig to escape!" James let out a shout of frustration as Furret dived underground, and Pidgey missed by inches. "Now come out and use Slam!"

"Counter it with Quick Attack!" Pidgey and Furret crashed together, but Pidgey took the worst of it. Her dazed look signaled her defeat.

"Pidgey is unable to battle! Furret wins!"

"No, not again!" Pidgey had fallen at the first hurdle again, and James couldn't believe it. She'd done her absolute best in all her matches, yet their hard work hadn't paid off. He wouldn't hold it against her, though, since there were many battles ahead. "It's okay, Pidgey, you battled hard. Take a break."

* * *

"Pidgey tried hard, but she just couldn't stop Furret." Jen watched James recall Pidgey with concern. The same thing had happened in his first match with Bugsy, and she knew James wouldn't want a rematch this time. He'd keep the energy up, but it wouldn't be easy.

* * *

"Alright, Graveler, come on out!" The newly-evolved Rock-type stood calmly before Furret, readying himself for battle.

"A Rock-type, huh? No problem!" Whitney knew, of course, that she might struggle to damage Graveler, but she could try. "Furret, Slam!"

"Defense Curl!" Graveler knew the routine by now, and rolled up in preparation for a big hit. Furret crashed its tail into Graveler's side, but did little apparent damage. Graveler simply smiled; he knew what to do. "Okay, Rollout!"

"Dig!" Furret burrowed back underground as Graveler rolled by, but the Rock Pokémon jumped up and slammed down on the ground, setting off a shockwave that shook the Gym hard. Furret was blasted out of the hole it had dug, and looked dazed. It wasn't beaten, but the attack had done its work well.

"Was that Magnitude?" James asked, amazed that Graveler had learned a new move in the time after his evolution. The Ground-type attack may be random in its output, but the effects were often devastating, even more so when the opponent was underground.

"It was, and that means I'm in trouble. We're not giving up, though! Slam, Furret!"

"Rollout!" Again, the moves collided, but Graveler overwhelmed the Normal-type move and rolled right over Furret. The ferret lay flat on the ground, but not by choice; it had been squashed by the powerful move.

"Furret is unable to battle! Graveler wins!"

* * *

"What a hit! I've never seen a Pokémon get literally flattened like that." As Jen indicated her amazement, Quilava growled quietly, amused at the ferret's defeat. "It's not funny, Quilava. Well, okay, on one level it is, but Furret is still a Pokémon." She looked at James, who was congratulating Graveler, and smiled. "He's doing fine. One down, two to go."

"Furret, take a rest." Whitney sounded down as she recalled her Pokémon, and took out another Pokéball. "Alright, let's focus and win! Clefairy, time to shine!" Clefairy popped out and began skipping about, trying to disarm Graveler. Graveler simply nodded and folded his arms, not succumbing to the Normal-type's charms.

"Graveler! Let's finish this up quickly! Use Magnitude!" Graveler thumped down again, sending a slightly weaker shockwave through the ground. "Okay, now Rollout!"

"Metronome!" Whitney was scared now. Clefairy couldn't handle Graveler on its own, so she had to hope Metronome would come out with a winner. Clefairy waved her finger, and an all-too familiar flurry of fire bolts came out. "No, not Ember! That won't help!" Graveler slammed hard into Clefairy, knocking it down hard, all the while ignoring the weak fire attack that battered him. This went on a few times, Clefairy desperately trying to evade while Graveler rolled along the ground.

"We've got it on the run! Finish this, Graveler!" The Rock-type slammed into Clefairy, nearly flattening it, and Whitney shrieked in panic.

"No, Clefairy! Quickly, use Metronome again!" Clefairy went through the Metronome, then paused as Graveler spun around for another pass. As he rolled along, Clefairy unleashed a blue-white beam of energy from its hand, blasting the Rock Pokémon and knocking him out.

"Graveler is unable..." The judge stopped short as Clefairy pitched forward, burned out from all the hits it had taken. "Correction! Both Pokémon are unable to battle! This round is a draw!"

"What kind of move was that?" James asked, recalling Graveler in shock. "I know Metronome is completely random, but this is ridiculous!"

"It was a SolarBeam," Whitney answered, just as surprised as her challenger. "Since it's a Grass-type move, it was able to put Graveler away in one shot. I've never seen it happen before, though."

* * *

"Trust a Gym Leader to work out of a tight spot." Jen knew that Whitney had ridden her luck to knock out Graveler, but that was all part of the battle. "It's up to Elekid to pull this off. Do you think he can do it, Quilava?" Quilava growled an affirmative, and Jen turned back to the field to see how Elekid would handle the pressure.

"Well, James, it's time for our final battle. I hope you're ready, this is gonna be tough."

"We're ready, Whitney! Let's get this going!"

"Okay, here we go!" Whitney tossed out Miltank's Pokéball, and the Milk Cow Pokémon stood ready to take down any challengers.

"Alright, Elekid, you're up!" The yellow Electric-type spun his arms as he emerged, building a charge in anticipation of a fight.

"Hey, you have an Elekid just like Jennifer? That's so cool! You two must be really be in sync!" James had no idea what Whitney was talking about, so he just ordered his first attack.

"Okay, Elekid, Brick Break!" No waiting, no preparation, just an all-out assault. Elekid's arm sparked, and he leapt at Miltank.

"Defense Curl!" Miltank blunted the Fighting-type move's power with the defensive tactic, leaving Elekid to glare at her in shock. "Now, Rollout!"

"Brick Break again!" The rolling cow slammed into Elekid's forearm, knocking both Pokémon back. Miltank had taken worse damage, but Elekid wasn't unhurt either. "Okay, fire off a ThunderShock!"

"Out of the way, Miltank!" Miltank's rolling momentum carried her away from the weak Electric-type move, and Elekid snarled in frustration that the move didn't hit. "Now, run in close and use Stomp!"

"Brick Break!" Elekid's move missed its mark, and Miltank brought her foot down on the Electric Pokémon. "Argh! Okay, then, use ThunderShock to get away!"

"Don't let it escape! Stomp, one more time!" Elekid blasted Miltank with the shock, and Miltank simply smashed into him again. "Now, get ready for Rollout!"

"Brick Break!" Elekid hit Miltank hard before she could start her attack, then jumped back after firing off a ThunderShock to create some distance. As James watched Elekid turn to face Miltank again, he could sense that he was shaking in anger.

"Hey, cool it, Elekid! If you lose your temper, we might lose the battle!" Elekid growled back at him, and James shouted back. "Look, I'm counting on you to win this! I brought you with me because I thought you'd make a good addition to the team. Since Quilava's down, you're all I've got to battle with now! So focus and let's take them down!" Elekid growled again, then dropped his arms as he stopped shaking. "That's right, calm down. We're going to win, just keep cool while you're fighting." Whitney smiled as she saw James calming Elekid down.

"He really knows his Pokémon well," she mused as she watched Elekid point at Miltank. "But I do too! I won't lose this time, no way! Miltank, Rollout!"

"Elekid, Brick Break!" Another collision of moves resulted in both Pokémon landing hard on the ground. Elekid got up and glared at Miltank, who had also stood and was readying herself for the next attack, even though her body was shaking with fatigue.

"It looks like it's coming down to the end, Miltank! One more Rollout should do it!" Miltank curled up and raced at Elekid, who stood firm.

"End it! Brick Break!" Elekid's strike sent Miltank sprawling to the floor, finished for the day.

"Miltank is unable to battle and Elekid is the winner! The victor is James from Violet City!" James ran out to congratulate Elekid on a successful first battle, and he saw Jen and Quilava from the corner of his eye, running over to offer their own congratulations.

"Way to go, Elekid." James told the Electric-type. "For your first real match, you really showed me something. We've still gotta work on your temper, but that'll come with time." Elekid grinned and then poked James in the knee, delivering a shock that knocked the boy off his feet. "We've got to work on that, too," James grumbled as he recalled Elekid. Quilava growled at him, and he smiled. "Thanks, buddy. I would've liked to have you out there, but it's good to get the rest of the team in on the act."

"And they battled really well." Whitney wasn't crying now, but she looked ready to. "James, you and your Pokémon really showed me what being a trainer can be like. You were a great challenger, and here's your Plain Badge." She held out the same yellow square she'd given to Jen the day before, and James took it gratefully.

"Three down, five to go, James," Jen told him, stroking Quilava's ears; she and the Fire-type had really bonded during their time in the stands. "Whitney, thanks for two great matches. You're a really strong Gym Leader."

"Thanks, Jennifer." Whitney turned away so they wouldn't see her crying, and the two youngsters left before she broke down completely.

* * *

_CHAPTER 22 PREVIEW_

_ Jen: We've both got three badges, and now it's time to set our sights on number four! But wait, who's this girl here? What's with that Pokémon she's got? No way is she better than me! Next time, in Pokémon Double-J Adventures: A Rival for Jen! Everybody, get Pokémon!_

* * *

**Okay, kinda short, but I've been suffering a block with this story and I figure it's better than nothing. Next time, we'll introduce the obligatory rival for Jen and move this sucker forward!**

** Standard operating procedure applies, so please read, REVIEW and tell me what you thought! Also, please check out my newest and second-most ambitious project, **_**Inconceivable**_**! Until next time, **_**namárië**_**!**


	23. A Rival for Jen

**Hi and hello! Chapter 23 of _Double-J Adventures_ has arrived, bringing with it a break in the action and a new rival for our deuteragonist! Without further ado, here we go!**

**A/N: I apologize for the gratuitous stadium visit in this chapter, but the Violet stadium will be an important venue if I ever get that far.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Pokémon; Nintendo and Satoshi Tajiri do.**

* * *

**POKÉMON DOUBLE-J ADVENTURES**

**CHAPTER 23-A RIVAL FOR JEN**

* * *

James handed his Pokémon over to Nurse Joy once he and Jen got back to the Pokémon Centre, still basking in the glow of his victory at the Goldenrod Gym. Quilava was still sulking a bit that he wasn't allowed to participate, but he couldn't stay mad at his trainer for long; it wasn't exactly _his_ decision to rest him, Nurse Joy had ordered him to. The two youngsters headed to get something to eat while Nurse Joy took care of James' Pokémon, and Jen inquired about where they would go next.

"Ecruteak City's next on the map, right?" she asked, looking at the map she held under the table. "It looks like there's two paths there, but one of them has a big _X_ over it. I wonder why?"

"That path's been blocked for a while." James answered. "I think some wild Pokémon keep invading the area, so they want to protect the travelers. It's annoying, since we used to go to Ecruteak all the time when I was little."

"Did you?" Jen was curious now, James had never mentioned this before.

"Just to sightsee and all, nothing major. Well, there was one time when Darrell was in the city and we went to watch him battle the Gym. I saw a group of weird birds flying past our window, but I don't remember what they looked like now."

"You remember that you saw the birds, but don't remember what they looked like?"

"I was four! You can't expect me to remember everything!"

"Forget it," Jen said, trying to change the subject. "Alright, so the only path that looks open is through the National Park. That should be a nice stopover, at least. I always wanted to visit Amity Square back home, but it was too far away."

"I think there's a bug-catching contest there soon, too. Maybe we could jump in on that."

"Maybe." They spent the remainder of the time discussing possible diversions along their route, as well as training strategies for the next gym. Eventually, they went back to the foyer, picked up James' Pokémon, and began an abbreviated training session before they turned in, ready for tomorrow's off-day.

* * *

The next morning, Jen indicated that she wanted to look around the city for a while before they set off on their travels again.

"We've barely taken time to see anything during our whole journey!" she argued, knowing she was right. "Plus, Nurse Joy said we shouldn't travel so quickly after Quilava got sick."

"I know, I know." James didn't want to spend his time sightseeing; he didn't like Goldenrod much, it was too big for his taste. Being from Violet meant an appreciation for a small setting.

"Well, then, let's go see what there is to see! It's a big city, and there's gotta be all kinds of cool stuff!"

"Fine." James conceded the point, if only to appease his friend. Quilava had indicated that he didn't care one way or the other, so James decided to just make the best of things. "I wouldn't mind seeing what their stadium looks like, anyway. I've only ever seen it on TV."

"Then let's go!" Jen ran out of the room in excitement, and James shook his head before following.

The city did indeed have a lot of tourist attractions, each of which was often flooded with visitors. James and Jen were jostled about as they checked out the Goldenrod Department Store, which was several times larger than the Poké Marts that were usually in the region's cities. They tried their best to hold off on any purchases, since they didn't exactly need anything there, but did come out with a few items they thought might prove useful. Jen stowed a bottle of Soda Pop in her pack as they exited the building, making a mental note to try it later.

From the Department Store, they crossed the bustling streets and moved past the brightly-lit Game Corner, then took a look at the Magnet Train station. One superfast train after another was rocketing through, carrying commuters and tourists alike between Goldenrod and the eastern terminus in faraway Saffron City. James was fascinated with the trains, wondering how something big like that could possibly travel that fast. Jen noted that it must take a huge amount of power just to keep the line moving, and both were astounded when the stationmaster told them exactly how it was done.

"There's a gigantic power station in Kanto that provides the electricity needed to run this place," the stationmaster explained. "The generators are about the size of a small building, and teams of engineers have to make sure everything runs smoothly. If even one generator fails, the whole line could come grinding to a halt." Both youngsters were wide-eyed as they left the station, blown away by what the man had just told them.

Their next stop was the Radio Tower, where James was offered a chance to add a Radio Card to his PokéGear. He was given a short quiz about various Pokémon, and upon answering all of them correctly the receptionist slotted the card into the device. James wasn't sure what he would do with the radio, since he wasn't exactly sure how it worked, but it was a useful feature to have anyway.

* * *

The last thing they checked out before circling back towards the Pokémon Centre was the area around the Gym. James knew the huge Kogane Stadium was around this area, with its capacity of over forty thousand people on a game day. Jen questioned why James was so focused on this area in particular, and he explained as best he could.

"Kogane Stadium is one of the biggest soccer stadiums in Johto. The one back home, Kikyō Road, is a garden patch compared to here. I don't like Goldenrod's team at all, but it's still cool to see places like this." Jen nodded, still a bit skeptical, and looked at the imposing structure, with bright yellow artwork adorning much of the outside. Tourists were all around the area, snapping pictures and posing next to statues outside the building. James stared a few moments longer, then turned to head back. "Come on, let's go. We've seen just about everything in the city now, and we need to get back to the Centre before it gets too dark and crowded."

"Sure," Jen answered, and they moved back towards the safety of the Centre.

* * *

When they arrived back at the Centre, they headed outside to let their Pokémon get some exercise before they all turned in. Jen's Pichu stayed close by her, with Elekid giving warning looks to anyone who came too close. Quilava lay down to rest; he'd been walking all day, and he wasn't in the mood to be playing around. Jen watched the Fire-type close his eyes and giggled.

"Quilava's burnt himself out, James." James laughed at the play on words, and looked around to see where the rest of the team was. Pidgey had flown up into a tree, uninterested in hanging around with the group right now, and Graveler was gently sparring with Elekid, while Gastly floated around making a nuisance of himself. Jen's Magby and Zubat joined in too, eager to practice, while Togepi was nowhere to be seen. Jen knew she couldn't have gone far, but didn't want the group too stretched either. "Hey James, have you seen Togepi?"

"No, did she wander off again?" He looked, and saw her skipping towards the far wall of the Centre. Before either of them could move to intercept her, a brown-haired girl ran out of the Centre and charged the Spike Ball Pokémon down.

"Oh my goodness, aren't you the cutest thing?" the girl said to Togepi, who squealed happily as the girl picked her up. "I can only wish I had a Pokémon as cute as you!" She turned and saw Jen walking over to where she was standing. "Oh, is this your Togepi?"

"Yes, it is." Jen answered, slightly annoyed. "Togepi wandered off by herself again, isn't that right?" Togepi simply squealed again, and Jen's expression softened. "It's okay, Togepi, but you need to stop doing that. We can't be running around after you all the time." She turned to the newcomer. "I'm Jennifer, by the way. What's your name?"

"My name's Stephanie," the girl said proudly, tossing her hair. "I'm on a mission to catch the cutest Pokémon and be the most adored rainer in the world! I'll have the most beautiful Pokémon team around!" She took out a Pokéball and tossed it. "Show 'em what we mean, Eevee!" A brown fox-like creature emerged, crying out happily as she landed and posed next to her trainer.

"What kind of Pokémon is that?" Jen asked as she pulled her Pokédex from her bag.

_"Eevee, the Evolution Pokémon." _the device announced. _"Due to various experiments performed on the species over the years, its genetic code is unstable. It is capable of evolving into seven distinct forms."_

"Wow, I've never heard of a Pokémon evolving that way before." Jen was impressed; this must be a rare Pokémon. "Where'd you get it?"

"My daddy gave her to me." Stephanie answered, hugging the Normal-type. "She and I are going to travel together and find more cute Pokémon to add to our team. What about you, what kind of Pokémon do you have besides Togepi?"

"I'll show you. Guys, come on over!" The rest of Jen's group hurried over, lining up in front of her. "This is my team right here." Stephanie looked at each one, and squealed in disgust when she saw Elekid.

"Eek! How can you have such a scary-looking Pokémon?!"

"Hey!" Jen was really annoyed now. "What's wrong with Elekid?"

"It's so creepy-looking!" Stephanie recoiled as Elekid moved towards her, and Jen stepped in front of him to prevent any danger. "Your other Pokémon are alright, but Elekid's just too scary. I'd have caught a better-looking Pokémon than that."

"Elekid just happens to have won me the Plain Badge." Jen responded, trying hard to keep herself under control. She hadn't known this girl for five minutes and already they were at odds. "That makes him a valuable member of the team, it doesn't matter what he looks like."

"But...but..." Stephanie composed herself. "Oh, what difference does it make? While you're battling with that Elekid, Eevee and I are going to be making a name for ourselves! We'll be famous, no doubt about it!"

"Not if you only focus on appearances, you won't." James had walked over, wondering what all the ruckus was about. Stephanie looked at him and brightened, instantly ending the tirade she'd just embarked on.

"And who are you?" she asked, a smile making its way onto her face. James raised his eyebrows at the sudden change in her temperament.

"Uh, I'm James, and I'm Jen's traveling partner. Let me warn you now, you wouldn't like the look of my team either."

"Oh, it doesn't matter," she said, and now her expression was one James didn't exactly feel comfortable with. "If they have a cute trainer, it makes up for their appearance."

"What did you say?" Jen shouted, but James shook his head. His face had turned red after Stephanie's comment.

"Jen, ignore her. Stephanie, I don't care what my Pokémon look like, as long as they get the job done and we have fun doing it. You shouldn't worry so much about how you and your team look."

"But having a good-looking team is the most important thing!" Realizing she wasn't going to drop the matter, James decided to get out of dodge before things got even more hectic.

"Hey, Jen, you want to turn in? We've got to get going tomorrow, so we'll need to rest up before we do."

"Sure," Jen recalled her Pokémon and headed into the Centre in a huff. James watched her leave as he recalled his own team, and turned to Stephanie.

"Looks like you two didn't exactly make a good impression on one another. I don't know what happened before I came over, but if you two ever run into each other again, please leave me out of it."

"But you got yourself involved, cutie. The only person you can blame for this is yourself." Stephanie's comment caused James to go red again, and he ran inside himself, eager to distance himself from the new girl. Stephanie smiled to herself as she watched him.

"He was pretty cute, huh, Eevee?" Eevee growled back in assent, and Stephanie walked back in herself, knowing she'd become Jen's rival without the other girl knowing it.

* * *

_CHAPTER 24 PREVIEW_

_ James: Finally, back on the road again! The National Park is an interesting place, maybe we can find some new Pokémon in here! And what's this guy doing? He can teach Quilava a new technique? Cool! Next time, in Pokémon Double-J Adventures: A Walk in the Park! Everybody, get Pokémon!_

* * *

**Alright, folks, that's it! Jen now has a rival of her own, and they will certainly lock horns many more times before this series is over. I know the end was kind of weird, but it made sense to me as I wrote it. This chapter wasn't easy to write, since I have had a block about the last two or three chapters (and I've been focusing more on _Inconceivable_, my other project), but I got it done, so that's something.**

** Standard operating procedure is still in effect. Please read, REVIEW, and tell me how it went! Until next time, _namárië_!**


	24. A Walk in the Park

** Hi and hello! Here's chapter 24 of _Double-J Adventures Volume 1_, where we'll see our heroes take a quick break in the National Park, and maybe pick up a new skill along the way. Let's get to it!**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Pokémon; Nintendo and Satoshi Tajiri do.**

* * *

**POKÉMON DOUBLE-J ADVENTURES**

**CHAPTER 24-A WALK IN THE PARK**

* * *

The next morning saw James and Jen start the short run up Route 35 towards the National Park. Quilava was back to his old self, which made James happy, but Jen reminded him that they couldn't go charging forward again. James knew she was right, and he wasn't about to go disobeying Nurse Joy's orders regarding his best pal; the last thing he needed was the Fire-type collapsing again.

Stephanie, the girl they'd had a run-in with the night before, was nowhere to be seen, which both youngsters were relieved about for differing reasons. Jen was still fuming about what Stephanie had said about her Elekid, while James was still trying to figure out why she had talked to him the way she did. As they exited the northern gatehouse and hit the open road again, James turned to Jen, hoping she could enlighten him.

"Hey, Jen, what was all that about last night?"

"What was what all about?"

"That stuff with the girl we ran into last night. Why did she start acting so weird when I showed up?" Jen stiffened at the mention of Stephanie, and she shook her head.

"I don't know or care, because I don't remember much of it to be honest. She was just so stuck up and vain, I couldn't think straight. Why, did she say something to you?"

"Well, one minute you two were arguing back and forth about Elekid, the next she's calling me cute and acting real strange. It weirded me out a bit."

"Who knows?" Jen answered, with a tone that suggested James drop the matter. "I didn't like her, that I know, so can we please talk about something else? I can think of a thousand things more important than _her_." James nodded, turning his attention to Quilava, who was quietly walking along by his right leg.

"You alright, buddy?" Quilava growled an affirmative, and James scratched behind his ears as they continued along. The Fire-type hadn't witnessed the previous night's exchange, and didn't think it was his business anyway. James would certainly have called him over if he needed him, but he probably wouldn't have been much help. He was content just walking along, and James wouldn't have had it any other way.

* * *

They walked along the river that ran along much of the route, and both James and Quilava were grateful that a fence separated them from the water. Jen cared little for the barrier, and she leaned over it so she could see the clear water more easily. Magikarp leapt high in the air every so often, and various other Water-types were swimming in the river too. James stayed back, but was impressed with the height the Magikarp were attaining; for such a weak Pokémon, it had massive leap.

As they continued, they saw various people heading in the same direction. It was mostly tourists, but a few of them looked like they were headed for a track meet, not a relaxing stroll in the National Park. James stopped one of them and asked where they were headed.

"Oh, we're going to the Pokéathlon Dome. It just opened, and we're hoping to win a few medals there." James was intrigued, but knew that neither he nor Quilava were up to the competition just yet. He might enter someday, just not today.

The Park itself was quiet, with lines of trees surrounding patches of tall grass. Parents walked around with small children, admiring the scenery and watching various wild Pokémon scurrying through the grass. Several Bug Catchers ran through with their nets, hoping to catch one of the many Bug-types that lived in the Park, a sight so common that no-one bothered staring. Jen looked at the calm scenes and was instantly glad they'd come; she'd heard about how pretty Amity Square was, but seeing the Johto park was breathtaking.

"This place is great, huh, James?" she said, admiring the trees lining the paths. James nodded, only half paying attention.

"It's better than a cave, or a thick forest. You can actually see where you're going here." Jen giggled; she had long gotten used to James' fear of caves. "The scenery's nice, though, it's not too different from back home." Quilava growled quietly; he was growing impatient, aiming to burn off some of his pent-up energy. James put a calming hand on the Fire-type's head, wordlessly telling him to ease off; this was no time to be getting worked up.

As they kept walking, they saw a tall young man staring at the ground. James looked intently at him, wondering what he could possibly be looking for. Quilava, tired of his inactivity, ran over to where the young man was standing before James could stop him, only to stop short as a small yellow Pokémon leap out of the ground right in front of him. The Pokémon rolled up and spun a few times in midair before landing hard, uncurling its body as it stuck the landing.

"Whoa, what was that?" Jen was impressed with the Pokémon's movements, even if she didn't know what species it was. The young man looked over and saw her, then Quilava, and grinned.

"Came to see the show, huh?" The young man's red hair was cut very short, and his eyes were a warm blue.

"You might say so," James answered, running over to Quilava. "Quilava's a bit restless at the moment, and he's always curious when there's an unseen Pokémon around."

"He's got that hunter's instinct." The young man looked at the yellow Pokémon, then turned back to the two youngsters. "My name's Mason, and this is my buddy Sandshrew." The Pokémon at his side waved, and James took out his Pokédex to scan it.

_"Sandshrew, the Mouse Pokémon. This Ground-type Pokémon spends most of its time in underground burrows, and only emerges when it hunts._"

"So it's a Ground-type," James murmured, putting the device away. "So, were you and Sandshrew practicing hunting or something?"

"Oh, no, we're working on a battle strategy. Since Sandshrew isn't the quickest Pokémon in the world, we're working on using its Dig to avoid enemies."

"That's a strategy that Whitney used!" Jen remembered hers and James' battles with the Goldenrod Leader's Furret, and how it had managed to create havoc with its speed. "Her Furret was so fast, we could barely get a hit in."

"Well, we're not quite as fast, but we'll make up for that." Mason turned to James. "You know, Quilava could probably learn how to use Dig too. I can teach him, if you want."

"You could?" James looked at Quilava, who had perked up at the sound of his name. Having the move would help a lot, particularly against opponents with an advantage. "What do you think, Quilava? Want to give it a try?" Quilava grinned and nodded, and James smiled too. "Okay, Mason, you're on."

"Great! We'll start in a few minutes."

* * *

Mason started the lesson by having Sandshrew perform the move at full speed, to show what the move should look like when done properly. The Ground-type dove underground quickly, then leaped out a few seconds later.

"The idea behind this move is unpredictability," Mason explained. "Since your opponent normally won't know where you are underground, you have the element of surprise. But it's on you to know when and where to emerge."

"How do we know when to jump out?"

"Well, it's usually pretty straightforward: you remember where the opponent was when you burrowed, and then attack them while they're looking for you. You might run into trouble with a more mobile opponent, or one who has a high speed rating. In addition, some Pokémon like Quagsire or Onix can sense the vibrations underground and avoid you, and some can't be hit by it at all. But the vibrations work both ways. Quilava should be able to sense his opponent's moves from underground, and use that to determine where his target is."

"Okay, I get it. So, how do we get underground in the first place?"

"I'll show you. Sandshrew, use Dig, but real slow so Quilava can watch." Sandshrew nodded, then began frantically scratching at the ground in front of him. "You can start by practicing that, Quilava. Use your front paws to dig the hole, then use them again when you come out." Quilava growled quietly, then started digging at the ground himself. Soon there was a small pile of dirt next to him as he burrowed further down, then he stopped digging and looked at James.

"There you go, Quilava. You're getting the hang of it."

"He sure is. Okay, now that you've got the hole dug, you can start burrowing sideways. Keep doing the same thing as before." Quilava nodded and started digging to his left, but this time his movements were faster and more confident. "That's right, keep at it. You can move faster as you get better."

"Quilava sure learns quick." Jen was sitting against a tree nearby, watching closely. She'd let her Pokémon out, and they were running with the rest of James' team nearby. "I bet he'll master this skill soon."

"He sure is determined." Mason watched Quilava dig his tunnel with quiet fascination. Most non-Ground-type Pokémon took much longer to pick up this skill, but Quilava was surpassing his expectations. "That's a good quality for a Pokémon to have."

"Quilava never gives up, just like James." Jen said. "That's why they get along so well." James shook his head and watched as the ground near Mason began to shake slightly. "Is he trying to dig his way out now?"

"Yes he is. Hold it, Quilava!" Mason shouted, and the digging stopped. "Alright, now we're going to practice locating a target from underground. Go backward a little." After a few seconds, Mason sent Sandshrew to provide an objective. "Okay, Quilava, try to sense where Sandshrew's moving. It'll be tough at first, but that's all part of learning the move." He directed Sandshrew to move slowly, so Quilava would have a lower chance of emerging in the wrong place. No sooner had Sandshrew started to circle the area that Quilava began digging up the ground beneath it, causing the Ground-type to jump in surprise. Quilava emerged and slammed into Sandshrew, knocking it over with a triumphant growl. James smiled and nodded at his starter, knowing he was ready to keep going.

"Alright, Quilava, you're getting there! Try it again, and try to dig a little faster this time." Quilava nodded back and dug another hole, already on the way to mastering the move.

* * *

After a while, Quilava was able to dive underground without really moving his body that much. Mastering the move, as Mason told them, would take work, but being able to dig with minimal effort was a key to the attack. Most Pokémon using it didn't look like they did much of anything, seemingly cutting through the ground as if it were butter. James was pleased with what he saw, and knew he could help Quilava master the move.

"Quilava's got it. All we've got to do is practice."

"Exactly. I have to hand it to you guys, you sure catch on fast. I wasn't sure if Quilava would be able to learn the move quickly, since he's not a Ground-type, but he proved me wrong. All he's got to practice is speed and timing. Just remember what I told you about opposing countermeasures; a skilled opponent will be able to stop Quilava in his tracks before he can even get underground."

"We'll do that." Jen walked over and smiled at Quilava, who was now napping near James' right shoe.

"It looks like Quilava's ready to pack it in after all that hard work."

"It does." Mason grinned at the Fire-type. "Alright, guys, I've got to go, I'm hoping to hit the Pokéathlon Dome tomorrow. Keep practicing and stay safe."

"We will, Mason. Thanks for all your help." With that, Mason waved goodbye and moved south with Sandshrew in tow, while James, Jen and Quilava began to walk towards the exit of the Park.

* * *

_ CHAPTER 25 PREVIEW_

_ James: Alright, Ecruteak City! Time to win our fourth badge, guys! Ghosts are hard to beat, but we won't let 'em take us out! Next time, in Pokémon Double-J Adventures: I Ain't Afraid of No Ghost-type! Everybody, get Pokémon!_

* * *

**Okay, that's that. Quilava has learned a new move, and our friends can now continue on their journey towards Ecruteak City! It's funny, my other story is set partly in Ecruteak too, but they won't coincide (in case any fans of **_**Inconceivable**_** take pity on me and check out this series as well).**

** Standard operating procedure is in effect. Please read, REVIEW and tell me how it went! Until next time, **_**nam**__**á**__**ri**__**ë**_**!**


	25. I Ain't Afraid of No Ghost-type!

** Hi and hello! Chapter 26 of _Double-J Adventures_ has arrived, bringing with it James' fourth Gym battle! How's it gonna turn out? Read on, folks!**

** Disclaimer: I don't own Pokémon; Nintendo and Satoshi Tajiri do.**

* * *

**POKÉMON DOUBLE-J ADVENTURES**

**CHAPTER 25-I AIN'T AFRAID OF NO GHOST-TYPE!**

* * *

It took several days to traverse Routes 36 and 37, and the two youngsters used the long trek to train their Pokémon and formulate strategies for the upcoming Ecruteak Gym. Quilava spent their training sessions working on his newly-learned Dig, usually pairing with Graveler despite the Rock-type's weakness to the move. The improvised training sessions also saw Pidgey finally evolve into Pidgeotto, with the transformation coming during a battle with Jen's Zubat. James had scanned his newly-evolved Flying-type, and knew that he could work the Bird Pokémon into his battle plans.

The gate to Ecruteak City came into view the next evening. Jen had heard stories about the old city, particularly its two towers. James wasn't that interested in the folklore surrounding Ecruteak; at the moment, all he was concerned about was his upcoming Gym battle, but Jen convinced him to check out the towers after they finished the Ecruteak Gym. They entered the city and checked into the Pokémon Centre, and James immediately made a beeline for the door so they could hit the Gym.

"James, hold it!" Jen wasn't about to let him run off that easily. "Can we at least relax for an hour? We've been on the go for a week, and Nurse Joy told you to slow it down. Remember Quilava?" James stopped and remembered Quilava's illness; the thought sobered him, and he conceded the point.

"Alright, we'll rest up for a bit, then we've gotta hit the Gym. I'm so fired up about this one I can barely sit still."

"That's how you always are, whether you have a Gym battle or not. You need to learn to chill out once in a while." Quilava growled in agreement; he liked the punishing pace as much as James did, but it felt nice to stop and take things easier on occasion. Yawning, the Fire-type closed his eyes and waited for his master to call him for their battle.

* * *

An hour and a half later, they were walking over to the Ecruteak Gym. Mobs of tourists, almost as large as they'd seen in Goldenrod, made their way through the city streets, and it took a lot of effort for the youngsters and Quilava to stick together. Old buildings lined the road, adding to the city's quiet, antiquated atmosphere. James knew the city was even older than Violet, and he saw similarities to his hometown as they walked towards their destination.

The Ecruteak Gym wasn't dissimilar from the other buildings in the city, with a sloping roof that came to a sharp point at the top. Various torches hung outside the double doors, unlit in the mid-afternoon sunshine. As they entered, Jen noticed the various tributes to Ghost Pokémon scratched on the walls, fitting given the nature of the Gym. A young man with blond hair stood a ways off, contemplating one of these carvings. His long violet scarf looked ragged towards the end, which was tipped with red, and his headband was the same colour.

"Strange," he murmured to himself as the youngsters approached. "The portents in the carvings aren't usually this dire..."

"Um, sir?" Jen piped up, jerking the young man from his contemplation.

"Huh? Who's there...?" He looked at Jen and grinned, his earlier behaviour forgotten. "Oh, hey there. I assume you're here for a challenge."

"Well, not exactly. My friend here is." James stepped forward with Quilava, who eyed the young man warily.

"Ah, I see. Welcome to the Ecruteak Gym. My name is Morty, and I'm the leader here. As you can probably guess, I specialize in Ghost-type Pokémon."

"I'm James from Violet City, and this is my traveling partner Jennifer." When Quilava growled, James added quickly, "And this is my buddy Quilava."

"Good to meet you all. So, shall we get this going? I'm eager to see your skill in battle."

"Let's do it," James answered, and they headed inward to the battlefield.

* * *

The main battle area was dimly lit, and shadows criscrossed one another by the faint torchlight. James felt an instant chill; he hated dark places, and this was no better than a cave. Quilava stood by his side, calming his nerves a little. It wouldn't do to show any fear in front of Morty; maintaining a front was important. Jen watched from the stands, knowing the conditions would be affecting James pretty badly right now. Hopefully, he could power through that, but she was still concerned for him.

A judge stepped into a circle of torchlight and began the usual pre-battle sermon.

"Attention! This Gym Battle between Morty the Ecruteak Gym Leader and James the challenger from Violet City will now begin! The prize for victory is a Fog Badge! Each trainer may use three Pokémon, and the battle will be over when all three Pokémon on either side are unable to continue. In addition, only the challenger is permitted to substitute during battle. Trainers ready?"

"Set to battle," Morty called out, his expression half-hidden by shadow. "How about you, James?"

"I'm ready!" James took a deep breath as he drew his first Pokéball. It was time to go for his fourth badge.

"Very well then. Battle begin!"

* * *

"Haunter, let's go!" Morty's first Pokéball revealed a dark purple Pokémon with large eyes and a set of sharp, pointed "teeth". Its hands were disconnected from its body, and it wagged its tongue in an attempt to indimidate its opponent. James held back a shudder as he took out his Pokédex.

_"Haunter, the Gas Pok__é__mon. It tends to hide in extremely dark places, and stalks prey silently before attacking."_ James didn't bother hiding his fear now. His left arm shook visibly as he launched his own Pokéball.

"Come on out, Graveler!" The Rock-type assumed his usual calm stance, watching Haunter carefully. Haunter tried the same trick he had on James, but Graveler simply stood, unimpressed with the display. "Graveler, use Defense Curl!"

"Haunter, use Night Shade!" Haunter's glowing eyes turned red, and it fired a black beam of energy at Graveler. The Rock-type simply took the hit with no visible damage apparent.

"Alright, Rollout!" Graveler rolled up and hurtled at Haunter, ready to deliver a punishing hit.

"Dodge, Haunter!" Haunter ducked out of the way, floating effortlessly to the right as Graveler flew through the air.

"What?" James couldn't believe it; he'd never seen Graveler miss like that. "Alright, see how you like this! Magnitude, Graveler!" James remembered that his Gastly was part Poison-type, and so its evolved form would have the same weaknesses to Ground-type moves. Unfortunately for him, he had also forgotten something extremely important.

"Haunter, get ready!" The attack shook the Gym, but Haunter simply laughed, causing James to step back in terror. The move had failed! "Sorry, James. Because of its Levitate ability, Haunter's not going to be hurt by any Ground-type moves. I'm afraid you've come up short."

"No, we haven't! Graveler, Rollout again!" Graveler charged again, and Haunter once again floated away.

"Alright, I think we've toyed with them enough." Morty's grin was made even more frightening by the flickering torchlight, and James now closed his eyes, overcome by his surroundings. "Haunter, it's time! Use Hypnosis!" Haunter used its hands to form a black circle, which it pushed towards Graveler. Graveler took the move head-on and closed his eyes, succumbing to the sleep-inducing attack. "Now, Dream Eater!"

"Graveler, wake up, quick!" James knew what was coming, and he didn't like it. Haunter created a shadow of itself, which flew through Graveler's body. The Rock-type shuddered, but remained locked in slumber. "Graveler!"

"Alright, Haunter, finish this up! One more Dream Eater should do it!" Haunter repeated his attack, and when it finished, Graveler's eyes opened, only to reveal the dazed look associated with a knockout.

"Graveler is unable to battle! Haunter is the winner!"

* * *

"No way!" Jen was now _really_ worried about James. The conditions were making him lose his nerve, and the quick defeat of one of his more powerful Pokémon, especially without landing a hit, wasn't going to help matters. "That Haunter's scary, and it really tore through Graveler. James needs to calm down quick, or he's gonna lose this one."

* * *

"Graveler, return!" James' voice shook as he recalled the Rock Pokémon. He took a long, deep breath and let it out, trying to calm himself down. He hadn't been prepared for _this_; Ghosts were tricky, but he thought they would be a straightforward challenge. As he took out his second Pokéball, he felt Quilava nudge his leg.

"What's up, buddy?" Quilava pointed to the battlefield, his meaning clear. "You're gonna have to wait, pal. I've got a plan." James tossed the Pokéball, fighting to stop his arm from shaking. "Pidgeotto, let's go!" The bird that emerged had red plumage on her head and alternating red and yellow tail feathers. Her wings were much wider than a Pidgey's, but her sharp eyes maintained their disdainful look. James trusted her sharp eyes to keep Haunter in her sights, and hoped she could take the ghost down.

"A Normal-type." Morty was aware that any Ghost-type moves he used wouldn't work on Pidgeotto, but Haunter had enough techniques to trouble the bird. "Okay, Haunter, let's get this going! Use Hypnosis!"

"Dodge, Pidgeotto!" Pidgeotto spread her wings and glided above the black rings that flew towards her. "Alright, now use Wing Attack!" The resultant strike knocked Haunter back further than James anticipated. Pidgeotto rocketed towards the Ghost-type and slammed her wing into it again, causing more damage than was obvious.

"Haunter, get out of there!" If there was one thing Morty knew about Ghost-types, it was that they weren't the most resilient. Even a few hits could knock Haunter out, and Morty wasn't keen on letting that happen.

"Get after it, Pidgeotto! Wing Attack!" Pidgeotto's strike caused Haunter to shrink back, cowed by the physical assault. "Now Gust! Blow it away!"

"No! Haunter, use Hypnosis!" Haunter couldn't even get the attack away; Pidgeotto's wind attack blew it down to the floor, where it didn't move.

"Haunter is unable to battle! Pidgeotto is the winner!"

"Yeah! Way to take it down, Pidgeotto!" James felt himself relax a little after beating Haunter. Only two Pokémon remained before he could get out of this place, but it wouldn't be easy.

* * *

"I must say, I'm impressed." Morty called from across the Gym. "To come back from a defeat by blowing Haunter away? Your Pidgeotto is something to behold." He took out another Pokéball and held it out. "But you're not beating my next Pokémon! Misdreavus, let's go!" This next opponent looked more solid than Haunter, and its glowing red eyes, along with the gems around its neck, made it stand out in the gloom. From the stand, Jen trained her Pokédex on the red glow.

_"Misdreavus, the Screech Pok__é__mon."_ the device announced. _"This Pok__é__mon likes to startle people by pulling their hair or shrieking in the darkness."_

James looked over at Pidgeotto, who was already glaring at Misdreavus. The Ghost-type's red glow would make it an easy target, and James knew Pidgeotto could do it.

"Alright, Pidgeotto, let's finish this up quickly! Wing Attack!"

"Misdreavus, Confuse Ray!" The Screech Pokémon waited for Pidgeotto to approach, then shone an eerie violet light directly into her eyes. Pidgeotto managed to land a hit, but the light sent her reeling away, looking back and forth wildly.

"No, Pidgeotto!" James knew that the confusion would cause a lot of problems, and the only real way to shake it off was recalling her. Before he could raise the Pokéball to do so, though, Morty called out yet another move.

"Mean Look!" Pidgeotto was surrounded by a pair of black circlets which faded once they hit. The red light from James' Pokéball dissipated as soon as it appeared; Pidgeotto was stuck in battle until she was taken down or beat Misdreavus.

"Pidgeotto!" The bird thrashed wildly in midair, unaware of what was going on around her. James started to panic; he couldn't call her back, and even though Misdreavus' attacks might not have an effect, he had to hope Pidgeotto shook off the confusion.

"Alright, Misdreavus, Perish Song!" James held his ears as Misdreavus unleashed a piercing, shrieking cry that shook the Gym. Morty grinned when the noise ended. "I figured I'd bring us both down to our final Pokémon quickly. With Perish Song, Misdreavus and Pidgeotto will both go down in less than a minute. I suggest you try to attack now."

"You got it! Pidgeotto, use Wing Attack!" Pidgeotto looked at him with wide eyes, but she raced at Misdreavus and slapped it with her wing. "Alright, Gust attack!"

"Psywave!" Misdreavus let off a wave of blue energy that distorted the air around it. The move didn't do much to Pidgeotto, but it did snap Pidgeotto out of her confusion. The bird narrowed her eyes and raced at Misdreavus once again, ready to finish it off. The move slammed Misdreavus to the floor, and Pidgeotto's body was surrounded in a black light as Perish Song took effect. Both Pokémon lay on the ground, finished for the day.

"Both Pidgeotto and Misdreavus are unable to battle! This round is a draw!"

* * *

"No way!" Jen couldn't believe Morty's strategy, but knew it worked both ways; not only would Misdreavus go down, but his opponent's Pokémon would go down as well. "It's one on one now. I only hope Quilava can pull this off."

* * *

"James, it's time for our final battle. Who're you going to call?"

"Quilava, you're up, pal." Quilava ran out onto the field, igniting his fire vents in a show of defiance. James' nerves calmed as he watched Quilava; the Fire-type had been waiting for this battle, and he wouldn't let his trainer down. "Let's finish this up, Morty! I'm ready to win that Fog Badge!"

"You won't find it easy, James. Gengar, let's go!" Morty tossed his final Pokéball out onto the field. The ghost that emerged had glowing red eyes and a wide, toothy grin, and it floated a few feet off the ground as it stared at its opponents. As soon as it appeared, James felt the room grow colder, as if Gengar could suck the heat out of a room just by being there. He took out his Pokédex to scan this new opponent.

_"Gengar, the Shadow Pokémon. Its body acts as a heat sink, dropping the temperature around it by up to ten degrees. To frighten people, it imitates their shadow and then jumps at them when they notice."_ James shivered, and not just from the cold; Gengar sounded like a scary proposition. Quilava reacted to the cold by intensifying the flames on his head and tail, determined not to let the Ghost-type beat him.

"Okay, then, Quilava, let's beat this thing! Flame Wheel!" Quilava wrapped his body in fire, then jumped at Gengar, ready to strike.

"Gengar, drop into the shadows!" Gengar's eyes glowed, but the rest of its body seemed to disappear in the gloom. Quilava's flaming body shot past his target, and he growled angrily as he landed.

"Alright, Quilava, stay calm! Use Flamethrower!" The attack illuminated part of the area, but didn't come anywhere near Gengar. "Don't give up! Flamethrower again!"

"Gengar, Shadow Punch!" Quilava was hit with an attack from his left, knocking him off his feet. He let out a burst of fire in retaliation, but Gengar was already gone.

"Quilava, hang in there!" Fighting an enemy he couldn't see was hard; the only thing he could see was the glow of Gengar's eyes...the eyes! "Quilava, aim for the red glow and use Flamethrower!"

"Not happening! Gengar, Shadow Punch!" Another strike knocked Quilava over again, and no flames came forth. "Now, Shadow Punch once more!"

"Quilava, Flame Wheel!" This time, Quilava's attack hit home, knocking Gengar's Shadow Punch away and causing some minor damage to the ghost. "Alright, you've got it on the run! Flame Wheel again!"

"Shadow Punch!" Quilava took the hit head-on, and he tried to scorch the area from which the attack came. This went on for a while, Gengar launching one Shadow Punch after the next with Quilava trying in vain to strike back. James' nerves were on edge as he watched his friend take hit after hit. Quilava would fight to the end, but James hated seeing him get pummeled like this.

"Quilava, stay strong!" Quilava growled defiantly, but James could tell his strength was waning. Gengar landed another Shadow Punch, and he dropped to the floor, breathing hard. "No, Quilava!" At that moment, the flames on Quilava's body intensified, bathing the entire room in a harsh red glow. Quilava's eyes shone a dark orange, and the light from his fire instantly showed Gengar's position. "What's up with Quilava now?"

"That, James, is Quilava's special ability, Blaze. When its vitality drops to a certain level, Blaze powers up its Fire-type moves."

"All right!" James knew it wasn't the best situation, but he also knew that the intensity of the flames would help Quilava see Gengar, making it easier to hit. "Okay, Quilava, let's get going! Use Flamethrower!" The resultant fire looked even hotter than before, and it traveled so quickly that Gengar couldn't evade. It shrank back from the scorching flames, and glared at Quilava with its glowing eyes.

"Gengar, Dark Pulse!" Morty hadn't wanted to use this move, but he had to take out Quilava now. Gengar fired a convulsing purple beam of light at Quilava, who launched another Flamethrower to stop it. "Shadow Punch!"

"Flamethrower!" The fire slammed into Gengar, knocking it onto the ground, temporarily winded. James' chance had come. "Alright, Flame Wheel! End this!" Quilava's body became a torpedo of hot, orange fire as it rocketed towards Gengar. The Shadow Pokémon could do nothing to stop Quilava from hammering into it, knocking it out at last. Quilava roared triumphantly as his flames calmed, and the room reassumed its semi-darkness.

"Gengar is unable to battle and Quilava's the winner! Therefore, the winner is James from Violet City!" James ran out onto the battlefield and hugged his starter, relieved that the battle was finally over. Morty recalled Gengar and took a moment to observe his challenger.

"He overcame his fear and beat us. I'm impressed. He really is a strong trainer." Morty walked over to James, who was still congratulating Quilava on his victory. "James, you really stuck this one out. Congratulations."

"Thanks, Morty." James saw the lights in the Gym come on, lighting up the building. "It wasn't easy; see, I'm not such a fan of dark places, as much as I hate to admit it."

"Well, you battled admirably. And here's your prize." The small, purplish badge Morty handed James was shaped like a ghost with two slanted white eyes. James took the badge and stared at it for a moment; this one had been a tough one to earn. Jen came down from the stands and tapped James on the shoulder, giggling as he jumped.

"Way to go, James. You may not like the dark, but you battled well."

"Thanks, Jen. It's your turn tomorrow, so you'd better be ready. Morty's not easy to beat."

"We'll do it, no problem!" Morty laughed along with the two youngsters, and Jen's challenge was set.

* * *

_CHAPTER 26 PREVIEW_

_ Jen: Alright, time to win that Fog Badge! Those ghosts are tough customers, but Magby and the gang can handle them! Go for it, guys! Next time, in Pokémon Double-J Adventures: Jen Richards, Junior Ghostbuster! Everybody, get Pokémon!_

* * *

**Okay, Chapter 25 is done! James has overcome his fear of dark places, at least temporarily, and next chapter is Jen's turn! This chapter took a while, but I think it turned out okay. For what it's worth, I find that the final phase of Gengar VS Quilava is best read while playing the **_**Ghostbusters**_** theme (after all, where d'you think I got the chapter title from?)**

** Standard operating procedure remains in effect. Please read, REVIEW and tell me what you thought! Until next time, **_**namárië**_**!**


	26. Jen Richards, Junior Ghostbuster

** Hi and hello! After a bit of a delay, Chapter 26 of _Double-J Adventures _is here, and Jen will try for her fourth Gym badge! How's it gonna go? Who's she gonna call? Read on and find out!**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Pokémon; Nintendo and Satoshi Tajiri do.**

* * *

**POKÉMON DOUBLE-J ADVENTURES**

**CHAPTER 26-JEN RICHARDS, JUNIOR GHOSTBUSTER**

* * *

Jen worked her team hard when she and James returned to the Pokémon Centre after James' Gym victory. Now that she'd had a chance to see how Morty and his ghosts battled, she could come up with a strategy to take them out. Even though she had an idea of her team selection, she wanted to give the team a last run-out before deciding who to send into battle.

"I'm pretty sure I'm gonna send out the same team that battled Whitney," she told James after about an hour's practice. "Togepi's Metronome is too unpredictable, and the Gym's environment will freak Pichu out, so she's gonna have to sit. Now all I have to do is work on these guys' movement and accuracy. I don't like the idea of going in against that Gengar, so I'm gonna have to come up with a strategy to pin it down."

"You're gonna have to do something unexpected. I was lucky that Quilava's Blaze kicked in, otherwise I would've been finished. No offense, Jen, but I don't think your Pokémon are up to a direct assault."

"I know that. My best attacker is Magby, but she can't take on three Ghost-types head-on by herself. I'll think of something, we just need to practice for a while."

"Well, let's get back to it, then. Those ghosts are tough to beat." Jen nodded, and the gang got right back to their training.

At about seven that evening, Jen called a halt to the day's training, and the gang reluctantly stopped their intent preparation for the morning's challenge. Magby in particular was raring to go, and Jen had to talk the Fire-type out of any more practicing.

"Magby, you need to rest up for tomorrow. I need you and the others to be at peak energy to battle those ghosts, so we're done training for today. Okay?" Magby hung her head, then darted a few yards away. "Hey, don't run off! I just don't want you to overdo it, Magby. Please don't get upset." Magby closed her eyes and huffed, then nodded. Jen recalled her and sighed. "I guess Magby's a little _too_ eager, huh?"

"She's itching to jump into battle, all right." James was finishing up with recalling his own team, and then moved to see how Quilava was feeling. "You alright, buddy?" Quilava growled in affirmation, ready for a good night's rest. Jen giggled as the Fire-type made a beeline for the sliding doors to the Pokémon Centre.

"Looks like Quilava's ready to drop, James." James shook his head and followed the Volcano Pokémon.

"I'll meet you in the cafeteria, okay? I'm gonna take Quilava to our room so he can get some sleep. Even though he got healed up, today's battle took a lot out of him." Jen nodded and looked at the pink-tinged clouds as James caught up with his starter.

She knew what she wanted to do in tomorrow's battle; the trick was being able to pull it off. Morty employed the kind of strategies she had begun to use herself: quick strikes and withdrawals, using the surrounding environment to mask his Pokémon's movements. The trouble was, the battle environment would be against her the entire time unless she did something about it. Add in the limited scope of her team's attacking capabilities, the environment would have to be neutralized. But how?

Shaking her head, Jen walked into the Pokémon Centre to meet James in the cafeteria. She would finalize her strategy tomorrow; right now, she was too hungry to think anymore.

* * *

The next morning, the two youngsters had a short training session before heading for the Ecruteak Gym. Jen had kept her silence on how she would take on Morty, but James knew she was ready for anything. Quilava's eyes darted from one thing to the next as he slunk alongside the pair, on edge for some reason.

As they entered the Gym, they found Morty waiting for them.

"All right, you're here. Ready to go?"

"You know it."

"Cool, let's get started, then." Morty headed to the battlefield, and the youngsters followed him. James headed for the stands, while Jen started looking at the placements of the unlit torches on the walls. As she reached the challenger's technical area, the judge began his speech from the midline of the field.

"Attention! This Ecruteak Gym battle between Jennifer, the challenger from Violet City, and Morty, the Ecruteak Gym Leader will now begin! A Fog Badge is the prize! Each side may use three Pokémon, and the battle will end when all three Pokémon on either side are unable to continue! Additionally, only the challenger is permitted to make substitutions during battle! Trainers ready?"  
"Ready!" Jen shouted, taking out a Pokéball.

"So am I. Don't think we'll be easy to stop, Jennifer. You saw what we're capable of yesterday."

"Well, I'm not leaving without a badge, and we're ready to go!"

"Alright, battle begin!"

* * *

"Misdreavus, let's go!" The blackish Screech Pokémon floated in the faint torchlight behind Morty, prepared for battle. Jen smiled, then tossed out her own Pokéball.

"Magby, come on out!" Embers dripped from the Fire-type's mouth as she emerged, lighting the area around her for brief moments before they cooled. Jen took one more look around the darkened gym, then sprang into action. "Okay, Magby, just like we planned! Spin and use Ember!" Magby jumped up as she spun, and Jen ducked as a fire bolt zipped over her head. The attack wasn't random, either; one by one, the torches on the walls began to glow as they were set alight, illuminating the entire room.

"She neutralized the cover of darkness by using Magby's Fire-type moves to light the torches." Morty grinned; he'd never seen anyone try that before, and he was genuinely impressed. "Alright, Misdreavus, don't let that Magby beat you! Confuse Ray!"

"Get moving, Magby!" Magby darted forward, sidestepping the disorienting purple light as her fist caught fire. "Okay, Fire Punch!"

"Psywave!" Misdreavus released the harsh blue waves of psychic energy straight at Magby, who couldn't avoid them. The attack knocked her down, and Misdreavus floated closer.

"Quick, Ember!" The fire bolts scorched Misdreavus, who shrank back from the move.

"Psywave again!" More psychic energy pushed Magby down as she fought to stand. Misdreavus floated ominously, and Jen started to worry. She was hoping Morty wouldn't use Perish Song on her, but her mind told her he might try it anyway.

"Fire Punch, Magby!" Magby jumped up and ran hard at Misdreavus, her fist bursting into flames again. Misdreavus fired off another Psywave, but Magby ducked the blue energy wave and slammed her fist into the Screech Pokémon's face. Misdreavus dropped to the floor, heavily damaged. "Alright, follow it up with Ember!"

"No way! Psybeam!" This time, a multicoloured beam flashed from the gems on Misdreavus' body, hitting Magby and knocking her off her feet. Magby held on, got back on her feet, and launched the fire bolts at the ghost, who couldn't get out of the way in time. It hit the ground again, this time for good.

"Misdreavus is unable to battle! Magby wins!"

* * *

"That was some strategy," James murmured as he watched Misdreavus go down. "I wish I'd thought of that yesterday, it would've made the battle a lot easier." Quilava growled in annoyance at this, and James turned to the Fire-type. "No, it's not your fault, buddy. I'm just saying, Jen's proven herself a lot more perceptive than I am." The Volcano Pokémon growled again, then slumped down to watch the battle again.

* * *

"Alright, Jennifer, look out, 'cause here comes my next Pokémon! Haunter, let's go!" The purple gas cloud that emerged formed up and made its usual intimidating face, but Jen just smiled and recalled Magby.

"Take a break, Magby. I'll need you later." She took out another Pokéball and threw it out onto the field. "Elekid, let's go!" Elekid started spinning his arms as he appeared, readying himself for battle.

"An Electric-type, huh? Let's see what it can do, then."

"Elekid, ThunderShock!" Elekid stopped spinning his arms, then fired yellow sparks at Haunter, who simply shrugged them off.

"Haunter, Night Shade!" The resultant black beam struck Elekid in the chest, knocking him down as Haunter floated menacingly towards him.

"Oh no! Elekid, ThunderShock again!"

"Hypnosis!" Haunter released its black hypnotic circles, which caught Elekid and forced him into sleep. "Now, Dream Eater!" The shadowy copy swept through Elekid's body, causing him to shudder.

"Elekid, you've got to wake up, _now_!" Haunter simply laughed at Jen's panic, and released another shadow-copy, draining more of Elekid's energy. Elekid reacted to the assault by opening his eyes, but they changed from their hard glare to a dazed, knocked-out stare.

"Elekid is unable to battle! Haunter wins!"

"Unbelievable." James couldn't help but think that using Elekid was a mistake. Since his only useful move was ThunderShock, it limited Jen's attacking options. Togepi might have been unreliable, but the resistance to ghosts coupled with Metronome's occasional devastation might have been better. "She's got to come back fast. Morty won't let her get away with much more."

"Elekid, return." Jen was stunned, even being able to see Haunter hadn't helped. She took out her last Pokéball, hoping for a good run from her final choice. "Zubat, let's go!" Zubat chittered as he was released, flying to Haunter's level. Jen knew that as a Flying-type, Haunter's hovering abilities would be less effective. "Alright, start this out with Supersonic!" Everyone, even Morty, covered their ears at the harsh noise, but Haunter simply stared at Zubat. "No deal, huh? Alright, Air Cutter!"

"Night Shade!" The blade-like air current slashed away at the black energy, and the moves cancelled one another out. "Alright, Haunter, Hypnosis!"

"Dodge, Zubat!" Zubat flitted away, avoiding the sleep-inducing move. Jen knew that if a Dream Eater hit, that was likely it for Zubat. "Now, dive and use Bite!"

"Don't let it go! Hypnosis again!" Haunter released more hypnotic rays, but Zubat avoided them and bit hard into the Ghost-type's hand. Haunter shrank back in pain from the super-effective move, and Zubat bit down hard again.

"That's it, Zubat! Don't let it go!" Zubat tried to bite Haunter's hand again, but the ghost floated away and out of range. "Okay, then, Air Cutter!"

"Night Shade, block that!" This time, the sharp air cut through the Night Shade and slashed at Haunter, causing more damage.

"Finish this up, Zubat! Bite attack!" Zubat flitted in, too quick for Haunter, and bit hard, causing a small burst of energy and knocking the Ghost-type out.

"Haunter is unable to battle! Zubat wins!"

"Way to go, Zubat!" Jen was relieved that the bat had taken out Haunter with little damage sustained himself. Since Gengar was sure to be a much more significant threat, keeping the damage low was important. "Are you okay to keep going?" Zubat chittered back in response, and Jen grinned. "Alright, terrific. Let's win us that badge!"

"That won't be easy, Jennifer. Gengar's not going to lie down and let you guys win, that's for sure. Here we go!" As the Shadow Pokémon appeared, Jen felt the usual temperature drop, and noticed the lit torches flicker a little.

"Alright, we can see it, but it's still not going to be an easy battle. Zubat, let's hit hard early! Air Cutter!"

"Dark Pulse!" As Zubat fired its sharp air current, Gengar clapped its hands together and released a convulsing black-and-purple stream of energy. The moves met and created a cloud of smoke that Gengar instantly ducked into.

"Aw, no, now we've got to find it again. Zubat, Supersonic! If we can confuse it we might be able to..."

"Shadow Punch!" Jen was stopped mid-sentence as Gengar caught Zubat from the side with a hard strike. Zubat tried in vain to find where the hit came from, but this gave Jen an idea. "Zubat, you may not be able to see it, but you can still find it with your sonar!" Zubat instantly released another high-frequency shriek, and zipped toward where he thought Gengar was. "Alright, use Bite!"

"I don't think so! Gengar, Dark Pulse!" Gengar shot another convulsing beam at Zubat, who took it full in the face. As he fell, Gengar floated towards him and caught him with another Shadow Punch, ensuring the Poison-type's defeat.

"No, Zubat!" Jen had been counting on Zubat's super-effective attacks to weaken Gengar, if not take it down altogether. Even though she still had her best attacker left, it wasn't an ideal situation.

* * *

"Seeing the opponent and taking them down are two different things." James didn't like the way this match was turning, it looked just like his match the day before. Magby didn't have an ability like Quilava's to bail her out if things got rough, and Gengar's mobility meant it would be hard to pin down. Quilava simply watched intently, knowing that the ghost would be a challenge for his opposite number.

* * *

Jen took a deep breath as she took out Magby's Pokéball. She had battled hard to this point, although it was only through her advance planning that she'd even been in contention. Magby just had to pull this off; they'd worked too hard to lose now.

"Magby, you're up!" Magby pointed at Gengar as she emerged, and the ghost laughed eerily. Jen was unfazed, and began the match anew. "Magby, let's do this! Ember!"

"Dark Pulse!" Once again, the moves collided and exploded. "Now, drop into the smoke!"

"Ember again!" The fire bolts turned into a roaring stream of flame, which cut through the smoke and slammed into Gengar. "Is that Flamethrower? Awesome! Magby, give it another one!"

"Not happening! Dark Pulse again!" The scorching flames slammed into the dark energy beam, and once again they cancelled.

"This isn't gonna work. Magby, start moving towards it and use Fire Punch!" Magby ran for the smoke cloud, which was already starting to disperse, and raised a burning fist.

"Shadow Punch! Block that move!" Ghost met fire and Gengar took the worst of the hit. Magby took the opportunity to blast more flames at the Shadow Pokémon, scorching it further.

"That's the way, Magby! Keep up that Flamethrower!"

"Shadow Ball!" This time, Gengar conjured a black blob of dark energy that neutralized the Flamethrower and crashed into Magby. Magby shrank back, stunned by the powerful attack. "Now, Dark Pulse again!"

"No way! Flamethrower!" The flames disintegrated the Shadow Ball and hit Gengar again, causing even more damage. "Now, Fire Punch!"

"Shadow Punch!" Magby took the hit from Gengar, then swung its fist in a hard uppercut. Gengar was caught just below its grinning mouth and knocked the the ground, visibly shaken.

"Now, Flamethrower! Take it down!" Magby's hot, scorching flame attack smashed into the prone Ghost-type, and rendered it down for the count.

"Gengar is unable to battle! Magby wins, and the victory goes to Jennifer from Violet City!" Jen jumped up in delight and headed to the battlefield, wrapping her first Pokémon in a hug.

"You did it, Magby, way to go!" Magby squeaked in response, happy to have done her trainer proud. As Jen recalled the Fire-type, Morty walked over, holding the Fog Badge in his hand.

"Well done, Jennifer. You and your team fought well; your strategy to light the torches in the Gym was an inspired move."

"I knew from James' battle that being able to see would help, so I tried to use that to my advantage."

"And it worked to perfection. Here's your Fog Badge." Jen took the small badge from the Ecruteak Gym Leader, and grinned broadly.

"Thanks, Morty. Good luck with your future challengers."

"And good luck on the rest of your journey, Jennifer. I'll be keeping an eye on your results." Jen thanked Morty again, then ran to meet James at the door.

"Ready to go?" she asked as James and Quilava started towards the exit.

"Yeah, let's get out of here, I've had it with dark places for a while." Jen punched him on the arm playfully, then followed him out of the Gym.

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_CHAPTER 27 PREVIEW_

_ James: Alright, four badges down, four to go! We've got time to check out the Burned Tower while we're here, so let's do it! Wait a minute, what are those guys from Triassic doing here? This place has nothing to do with them, right? Next time, in Pok__é__mon Double-J Adventures: Problems at the Tower! Everybody, get Pok__é__mon!_

* * *

**Alright, our pals have four badges apiece, and now they can concentrate on the second half of the League schedule. They'll have to work against Team Triassic first...but that's another chapter.**

** Standard operating procedure is in effect. Please do read, REVIEW and tell me what you thought! Until next time, **_**nam**__**á**__**ri**__**ë**_**!**


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